Surrey Board of Trade: BC’s job recovery continues

“BC’S job recovery continues slightly in May 2021, particularly impacting certain goods and service industries, partly from public health restrictions, however, recovery should pick up with the easing of restrictions in BC’s Restart Plan and increased vaccinations,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade, reviewing the May 2021 Labour Force Statistics on Friday.

Summary 

  • Accommodation and food services, agriculture, construction, retail and other (personal) services are still of concern and have room for recovery to pre-pandemic employment levels.
  • BC is leading Canada’s recovery with employment at more than 99% of February 2020 levels.
  • In addition to certain industries and occupations, visible minorities, Indigenous women, and youth in BC are still experiencing great job impacts from the pandemic.
  • Despite a slightly slowed job recovery in May 2021, the SBOT remains confident that BC is well-positioned fiscally, economically and public health-wise to survive further adverse labour market impacts of this pandemic. If COVID-19 case growth is blunted, vaccinations continue to ramp up and business and workplace restrictions are loosened before summer – optimism will then prevail.
  • As the Surrey Board of Trade has previously cautioned, “economic recovery will require effective public policies and support, innovative business practices, increased digital transformation, business resilience and a collaborative approach to economic recovery among governments, businesses, workers and public sector service providers.”

“Vaccinations continue to be the pathway to recovery and businesses in BC need to continue to be supported to move to recovery and resiliency as they see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel,” said Huberman.