Bi-Weekly Newsletter
Volume 1: Issue 1. Jan 09, 2026 |
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Leaders in Workforce Development
Hamilton's Labour Market Connection
Labour Market Updates, News & Community Info
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The Latest From WPH
Your source of Labour Market Information in Hamilton
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Hamilton’s labour market showed mixed signals in December 2025, with employment softening slightly while unemployment remained stable.
Hamilton’s unemployment rate held steady at 7.3%, remaining below Ontario’s rate (7.6%) but above the national average (6.7%).
Population growth continued year-over-year, increasing by 7,200 people (+1%), bringing the 15+ population to 726,900.
Read the full report below!
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✨ Welcome Back & Happy New Year!
We hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday season. As we head into the new year, Workforce Planning Hamilton looks forward to continuing to support our community with timely, reliable labour market insights and data that help inform decision-making across our city.
Thank you for staying connected with us — we’re excited to keep you up to date on the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping Hamilton’s workforce in the months ahead.
Wishing you a successful and prosperous year!
— Workforce Planning Hamilton
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📌 Stay Updated with Workforce Planning Hamilton!
Looking for the most recent reports, job boards, newsletters, upcoming events, and labour market insights?
Check out our Linktree for one place to access everything you need from Workforce Planning Hamilton — from monthly snapshots and business survey results to data tools and community resources.
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Hamilton Community Updates
Find out what's happening in the city!
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Feeding The Next Generation |
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I’m sharing some details about a free public lecture taking place at the Central Library next month. The Hamilton Public Library—in partnership with McMaster University’s Department of Anthropology—are pleased to host a team of researchers who are investigating how to provide youth with healthy, culturally meaningful food in the face of growing food scarcity worldwide.
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Feeding the Next Generation
🎯 Central Library (55 York Blvd) – Hamilton Room
🗓️ Wed, February 11 – 6-8pm
🖋️ Register here!
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Newcomer Employment Readiness Program |
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The YWCA JOIN Immigration & Settlement Services is currently recruiting participants for the Newcomer Employment Readiness Program. Please note that this will be the final cohort of this fiscal year, and spaces are filling up quickly.
The next cohort will begin on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
Program includes:
8 weeks of in-person workshops covering:
- Résumé writing
- Interview skills
- Entrepreneurial workshops
- Canadian workplace culture
- ChatGPT and digital tools
- Job search strategies, and more
- 2 weeks of unpaid workplace orientation placements to help participants gain experience in a Canadian workplace
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Up to 7 FREE certifications, including:
- First Aid & CPR
- Smart Serve (optional)
- Food Handlers (optional)
- Worker Health and Safety Awareness
- POS Digital Cashier
- Customer Service
- Worker Health & Safety in 4 Steps
6 one-on-one career support sessions, working directly with an Employment Counsellor and Job Developer to create a customized job search strategy
Care for Newcomer Children (CNC) services are available during workshops. Participants must let us know in advance if childcare is required.
Program eligibility requirements:
Participants must:
• Identify as a woman, gender-diverse, or non-binary
• Be a Permanent Resident, Protected Person / Convention Refugee, or a Live-in Caregiver with an approved work permit |
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The YWCA Hamilton Safety + Support Hub is a welcoming, community-based space offering support for individuals impacted by gender-based violence. The Hub connects people to the services and resources they need—wherever they are on their journey.
Available supports include service navigation and coordination, safety planning and risk assessment, counselling, youth, family, and parenting programs, as well as employment and training supports. The Hub also offers specialized services for newcomers, Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ community members, and Indigenous individuals.
📍 Location: 21 Hunter Street East, Unit 103, Hamilton
🕘 Walk-in hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
📞 Phone: 905-645-0271
📧 Email: safetyandsupporthub@ywcahamilton.org
🌐 Learn more: www.ywcahamilton.org
Evening and weekend appointments are available by email request.
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Community Access to Long-Term Care |
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The program is called Community Access to Long-Term Care (CALTC), and it is funded through the Ministry of Long-Term Care.
A quick summary:
- Our program will support seniors and others who are eligible OR on the wait list for Long-Term Care (LTC), that are living in their homes, to better age in place
- Individuals can access certain LTC services and social programming available on site here at St. Joseph’s Villa Dundas
- Our services are FREE to those eligible
Program Goals:
- Improve access to appropriate care and quality of life for seniors living in the community
- Reduce social isolation
- Delay and reduce the need for intensive supports such as acute care and emergency room visits
- Reduce pressure on home and community care services
- Increase supports available for caregivers of seniors
Program Referrals
- We are open to receiving referrals by anyone (Ontario Health atHome, Hospitals, Doctor’s offices, other community supports / services).
- Clients can self referral by calling our Program Navigator at: 905 627 3541 x3501
Our referral form can be found at: Community Access to Long-Term Care - St Joseph's Villa
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The ARISE initiative, in partnership with Get SET programs, supports apprentices by identifying and addressing gaps in essential skills such as literacy, numeracy, communication, and learning strategies. ARISE connects learners with the tools, resources, and supports they need to confidently enter and successfully complete apprenticeship training.
ARISE offers learning challenges screenings, potential psycho-educational assessments, and access to an Assistive/Adaptive Technologist who can recommend technology solutions to support individual learning needs. Staff can travel anywhere in Ontario to meet learners where they are.
Through partnerships with Laubach Literacy Ontario, ARISE also helps locate curriculum supports, learning resources, and assessment tools tailored to each learner’s pathway.
You don’t need to have all the apprenticeship answers — ARISE is here to help.
📧 Email: tamara@llsc.on.ca
📞 Phone: 519-681-7307
🌐 Learn more: https://www.llsc.on.ca/arise |
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What's In The News?
Latest updates!
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"Making a career change in your 40s (or beyond) can feel daunting, overwhelming and, at times, impossible. I know this firsthand – back in 2015, I found myself in the middle of a career crisis that left me burned out, lost and unsure of what to do next."
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People blame themselves when they burn out. They also feel a lot of shame, as if the signs of burnout – exhaustion, alienation from (work-related) activities and reduced performance – were all indications they couldn’t cut it.
They’re wrong. Burnout is not your fault. Your career shouldn’t be making you sick.
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Did you know, you can now request data from Workforce Planning Hamilton using our Data Request form?
Workforce Planning Hamilton’s labour market information can help identify:
- In-demand Industries, Skills & Jobs
- Workforce demographics
- Growing, declining & changing trends
- Job vacancy data
- Labour force supply & demand
- Immigration into the workforce
- Currently hiring skills & positions
- And More!
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