Bi-Weekly Newsletter
Volume 7: Issue 1. July 3, 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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Employment increased by 88,000 (+0.4%) in May and the employment rate rose 0.2% to 60.7%. The unemployment rate fell 0.3% to 6.6%.
The average hourly wages grew by 3.0% year-over-year as of May 2026, bringing the national average to $37.24 per hour. |
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Hamilton was home to 64,308 businesses in 2025, with 99% classified as small businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
74% of businesses in Hamilton operated without employees, and 26% with employees.
Hamilton's business community grew by 7% in 2025, led by an 8% increase in sole proprietorships.
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Your Hub for Hamilton Labour Market Information
Looking for the latest labour market reports, workforce insights, event recordings, newsletters, and community resources? Workforce Planning Hamilton's Linktree brings everything together in one convenient place.
Access our Local Labour Market Plan (LLMP), monthly labour market snapshots, research reports, business surveys, Labour Market 101 resources, newsletters, and more—all from a single link.
Whether you're an employer, job seeker, educator, researcher, or community partner, our Linktree makes it easy to stay informed about workforce trends and opportunities in Hamilton.
đź”— Visit our Linktree and explore the latest labour market information and resources available from Workforce Planning Hamilton.
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Hamilton Community Updates
Find out what's happening in the city!
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Have You Checked Out Our Latest Workforce Reports?
At Workforce Planning Hamilton, we are committed to providing timely, relevant labour market information to help employers, job seekers, educators, community organizations, and policymakers make informed decisions.
We recently released several key resources, including our Hamilton Business Survey, Hamilton International Student Report, Labour Market Information (LMI) Videos, and our annual Local Labour Market Plan (LLMP).
If you have viewed any of these resources, we would greatly appreciate your feedback. Your input helps us understand what information is most valuable to our community and guides the development of future reports and resources.
đź“Š Share your feedback:
If you havn't read these reports, you can view them here!
https://linktr.ee/WorkforcePlanningHamilton
Thank you for helping us continue to improve the labour market information and workforce planning resources available to our community.
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Frontline Person of the Year Award |
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The Fedcap BEST Awards is a celebration of excellence across the Employment Services network.
The BEST Awards recognize the individuals, organizations, and partnerships that continue to demonstrate leadership, innovation, collaboration, and commitment in supporting jobseekers and communities across the network.
"I was nominated by my manager, Mbuso Dandato, for the Frontline Person of the Year Award This nomination recognizes the impact made in advancing opportunities for jobseekers and strengthening communities across our network. I have attached a video of one of the presenters that explains the award.
I was very honored and shocked to receive this award. I truly believe that all case workers/ frontline workers deserve this award for the work that they do. I also could not do this job without the team that I work with. I am so thankful for my co-workers who provide support and ideas, as well as the managers who have helped me to grow and develop, but also the community services / resources. Helping a job seeker takes a community. I would not be able to do my job without the job seekers/ clients, I am thankful to be able to support them and be a part of their journey as they move towards their goals."
- Sarah Bradshaw |
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Hamilton Inclusivity Carnival |
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Do you or anyone you know want a rewarding volunteer opportunity that's actually fun, meaningful, and looks great on scholarship, university, and job applications?
Join us at the annual Hamilton Inclusivity Carnival on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Gage Park!
The Hamilton Inclusivity Carnival is a free, youth-led community event that teaches children and families about equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging through interactive games, puzzles, and activities. As a volunteer, you'll help create an environment where every child feels welcomed, valued, and included.
What You'll Gain:
- Community service hours
- Leadership and teamwork experience
- Experience working with community organizations and diverse populations
- Strong examples of equity, diversity, and inclusion advocacy for your resume, scholarship, university, and employment applications
- Opportunities to develop communication, problem-solving, and event-planning skills
- A chance to meet other passionate youth who want to make a positive impact in Hamilton
Volunteers are needed from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 15, at Gage Park.
Roles May Include:
- Greeting participants and answering questions
- Running games and activities at a booth of their choosing
- Creating games (optional, as we already have plenty)
- Assisting children and families
- Helping with event setup and cleanup
- Supporting community partners and fellow volunteers
Whether you're interested in healthcare, education, social justice, business, public service, or simply giving back to your community, this experience will help you build valuable skills while making a real difference.
Most importantly, you'll spend the day helping children learn that our differences make our communities stronger.
Interested in volunteering? We'd love to have you and your friends join our team!
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeDB_68BDkYqK1p1aB9DPJR--hsGiHNtHjJK3UGF9laBFJiig/viewform?usp=header
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YWCA Hamilton is looking for local women and gender-diverse artists to help bring the Business Out of the Box initiative to life!
Submit an original design concept to paint a shipping container that will become a vibrant mobile retail and community space supporting local entrepreneurs. One winning artist will be selected to bring their vision to life by painting the container and will receive an honorarium in recognition of their work.
Submissions are welcome from both emerging and established artists of all backgrounds. This is your chance to leave a lasting creative mark in the community while supporting entrepreneurship, connection, and innovation. This artist call-out is presented by YWCA Hamilton in collaboration with the Hamilton Arts Council.
Submission Deadline: July 15
Find out more and submit your design today: https://www.cognitoforms.com/YWCAHamiltonCentreOfInnovation/BusinessOutOfTheBoxArtistApplicationForm |
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Help Shape Hamilton's Next Age-Friendly & Dementia-Inclusive Community Plan
The City of Hamilton is developing its next Age-Friendly & Dementia-Inclusive Community Plan (2027–2031), which will guide community priorities over the next five years on issues that matter to older adults, including transportation, housing, healthcare, social participation, accessibility, communication, and community supports.
The survey deadline has been extended to July 31, giving Hamiltonians aged 50 and older more time to share their experiences, priorities, and ideas to help create a more age-friendly and dementia-inclusive community.
How to Participate
âś” Complete the short survey at agefriendlyhamilton.com
The survey is available in multiple languages and is open to all Hamilton residents aged 50+.
Why Your Voice Matters
This planning process only takes place once every five years. The more people who participate, the better the City can understand the diverse experiences and needs of older adults across Hamilton.
Whether you are working, retired, caregiving or receiving care, living with dementia, a disability or other health conditions, from a diverse cultural, racial, or language community, living in an urban, suburban, or rural area, new to Hamilton, or a long-time resident—your feedback is important.
Take the survey today: agefriendlyhamilton.com |
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What's In The News?
Latest updates!
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When a graduating student explores possible career options they can benefit from their university or college’s mentoring program. These are often called “Industry Mentoring”, “Alumni Connections” or the like. Meeting someone in their field of choice can help the student understand what it is really like working in the field.
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Your physical body is at work, but your heart and mind are offline. The tasks you enjoyed, the support you were enthusiastically happy to provide months ago no longer suffice. You are irritable, depleted and unsure how much longer you can last.
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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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