Manitoba Employment by Industry

Manitoba's diversified economy, with a blend of five goods and eleven services sectors, positioned the Province for stable employment growth in 2010.

In 2010, Manitoba’s service sector employment, which accounts for 76.9% of total employment, increased by 8,400 jobs; goods producing sector employment increased by 3,100 jobs.

Manitoba’s largest goods producing sector industry is manufacturing.  In 2010, manufacturing employment improved sharply to 63,100 jobs, an annual increase of 2.8%.  Retail trade is Manitoba’s largest service sector industry.  In 2010, Manitoba’s retail trade employment increased by 2,800 to 92,900 jobs, an annual increase of 3.1%.

From 2009 to 2010, annual percentage change in employment for Manitoba industries highlights recent short term growth or decline in employment by specific industry.

Manitoba services producing industries with high levels of employment growth over this period include: accommodation and food services (9.0%), professional, scientific and technical services (8.8%), and health care and social assistance (8.2%).  Manitoba services producing industries that experienced reductions in employment over this period included: other services (-10.1%), transportation and warehousing (-9.3%), and information, culture and recreation (-5.8%).

Manitoba goods producing industries remained relatively stable over the period of 2009 and 2010, experiencing neither dramatic growth nor decline, as compared to the services sector industries.  The Manitoba goods producing industry with the largest percentage change in employment was utilities at 8.0%, whereas the largest decline was for agriculture at -5.6%.

According to the Labour Force Survey of Statistics Canada, over the last 11 years (2000 to 2010), Manitoba’s overall percentage change in employment was 12.2%.  The services producing sector increased 16.8% and the goods producing sector decreased -0.7%.

From 2000 to 2010, annual percentage change in employment for Manitoba industries highlights historical growth or decline in employment by specific industry, and assists with understanding broader trends in employment across industry sectors.

From 2000 to 2010, 14 out of 16 industries have experienced employment growth in Manitoba, reflecting provincial economic growth is highly diverse. 

The three industries with the largest percentage growth in Manitoba over this 11 year period included: construction (35.4%), educational services (33.3%), and health care and social assistance (31.9%).  The two industries with declines were agriculture (-22.6%) and manufacturing (-10.5%).  Industries with flat growth include transportation and warehousing (1.4%) and public administration (3.8%).