B.C., Manitoba have strongest hiring intentions: BMO

Mining, oil and gas, manufacturing to see biggest gains

Nearly one-half (46 per cent) of Canadian businesses plan to hire new employees this year, while 51 per cent do not, according to a survey by BMO Bank of Montreal. British Columbia and Manitoba lead the way with 55 per cent of business owners in each province planning on hiring new employees, found the BMI Hiring Intentions Survey, which polled 500 Canadian business owners.

"While Canadian companies continue to remain cautiously optimistic in their outlook, we are seeing a willingness to make deliberate and targeted investments to grow their business, including for some the addition of new employees to their workforce," said Cathy Pin, vice-president of commercial banking at BMO Bank of Montreal. "With a degree of uncertainty about the global economy still a consideration, many businesses are making these investment choices differently based on the sector they operate in, possibly their physical location, and on their own business plans."

For those companies who indicated that they are looking to hire this year 43 per cent plan to hire the same amount of employees and 51 per cent plan to hire more than they did last year. Only six per cent said they will hire but do so to a lesser degree. Nearly one-quarter (73 per cent) of the Alberta employers that are planning on hiring expect to hire more employees this year. While 51 per cent of those employers plan to do so in Ontario and 47 per cent in Quebec.

Mining, oil and gas, construction and manufacturing have the strongest hiring plans, with 57 per cent of employers planning to hire in 2012. By contrast, only 36 per cent of employers in the real estate, retail and wholesale sectors have plans to add employees this year, found the survey. Employers in the arts and culture, travel and tourism sectors are split with 49 per cent intending to hire and 51 per cent having no plans to do so for 2012.

Hiring plans for 2012

Province/Region

Plan to hire

National

B.C.

Alta.

Man.

Sask.

Ont.

Que.

Atlantic

Yes

46

%

55

%

44

%

55

%

33

%

44

%

47

%

40

%

No

51

%

45

%

50

%

36

%

60

%

53

%

49

%

60

%

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