Regional Snapshot

The region nicknamed the “Nickel Belt” has 1.3% of Ontario’s population and is home to 7.4% of the province’s Francophones. Francophones make up 28% of the region’s population while 43% claim knowledge of French.

The average employment income of Francophones in the region in 2005 is $35,454, placing it 12% below that of Francophones in the province overall while the region’s population as a whole earns an average income that is 8% below the provincial average.

Unemployment in the region is identical among Francophones and Anglophones at 7.8% in 2006. This unemployment rate is higher than the provincial average.

The three leading industries in terms of workforce percentages are the same as for the province as a whole while others are specific to the region. Public administration (8%) and mining, oil and gas extraction (7%) are specific to the Nickel Belt.

The region’s most popular occupations are the same as for the province as a whole. Nearly two-thirds of the workforce works in three occupational groups: sales and service (26%), business, finance and administration (20%) and the trades, transport and equipment operation (16%).

Statistics of the region

Population (2006)	Nickel Belt region	Ontario
Total population	148,315	11,354,360
Francophone population ¹	41,455	557,070
% Francophone population	28 %	5 %
Population with knowledge of French ²	63,230	1,426,540
Population with knowledge of French in %	43 %	13 %
Aboriginal population	8,985	222,630
% Aboriginal population	6 %	2 %

1. Individuals whose first spoken official language is French or English and French.
2. French is considered as being used in the workplace when it is the language used most or one of the languages frequently used in the workplace.

Workforce (2006)	Nickel Belt region	Ontario
Total workforce	81,625	6,587,580
Total Anglophone workforce	58,655	6,205,070
Total Francophone workforce	22,945	322,275
% Total Francophone workforce	62 %	65 %

Average employment income (2005)	Nickel Belt region	Ontario
Total population	$ 36,182	$ 39,386
Anglophone population	$ 36,487	$ 39,529
Francophone population	$ 35,454	$ 40,344
Index of average Francophone/Anglophone income	0.97	1.02

Unemployment 2006 (May)	Nickel Belt region	Ontario
Total number of unemployed	6,410	423,330
Number of unemployed Anglophones	4,595	396,970
Anglophone unemployment rate	7.8 %	6.4 %
Number of unemployed Francophones	1,800	19,765
Francophone unemployment rate	7.8 %	6.1 %
Index of Francophone/Anglophone unemployment rate	1.00	0.95

Source: Custom tabulations, Census 2001 and 2006, Statistics Canada.

Download the source file in Microsoft Excel (. Xls) for 2006

Download the source file in Microsoft Excel (. Xls) for 2001

Predominant industries (2006)

Nickel Belt region	in % of the workforce
Retail trade	13 %
Health care and social assistance	12 %
Educational Services	9 %
Public administration	8 %
Mining and oil and gas extraction	7 %

Ontario	in % of the workforce
Manufacturing	14 %
Retail trade	11 %
Health care and social assistance	9 %
Professional, scientific and technical services	7 %
Educational Services	7 %

Predominant industries (2006)

Nickel Belt region	in % of the workforce
Sales and Service Occupations	26 %
Business, Finance and Administration	20 %
Trades, Transport and Equipment Operation	16 %
Social Sciences, Teaching, Public Administration and Religion	10 %
Management	8 %

Ontario	in % of the workforce
Sales and Service Occupations	24 %
Business, Finance and Administration	19 %
Trades, Transport and Equipment Operation	14 %
Management	10 %
Social Sciences, Teaching, Public Administration and Religion	8 %

Source: Custom Tabulations, 2001 and 2006 Census, Statistics Canada.

Population Structure

Stats page : Population Structure

Socio-economic Indicators

Stats page : Socio-economic Indicators