Larger employers: Niagara’s larger employers are no longer predominantly in manufacturing, but in hotels and tourism, education, health and municipal government. Niagara, similar to other communities that previously had a significant reliance on employment centred on a few dominant manufacturers, is experiencing the emergence of companies employing smaller workforces and more diversified manufacturing. In 2008, 15 companies employed over 1,000 employees. By 2009 only 10 companies employed over 1,000 employees.
Table 8.3
| 15 largest employers in 2008 (over 1,000) | 10 largest employers in 2009 (over 1,000)
|
| Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort (4,279)
NiagaraHealth System (4,200) General Motors ofCanada(3,999) The District School Board ofNiagara(3,705) The RegionalMunicipalityofNiagara(2,591), NiagaraCatholicDistrictSchoolBoard (2,537) Casino Niagara (1,820) BrockUniversity((1,784) Canadian Tire Financial Services (1,500) Algoma Central Corporation (1,300) Seaway Marine Transport Inc. (1,200) Niagara Parks Commission (1,080) Sitel (1,000) Convergys Customer Management Canada (1,000). |
District School Board ofNiagara(4,734) SC
Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort (4,716) NF NiagaraHealth System (4.200) SC RegionalMunicipalityofNiagara(2,768) T General Motors ofCanadaLimited (2,000) SC Casino Niagara,Niagara Falls(1,820) NF Seaway Marine Transport Inc. (1,800) SC BrockUniversity(1,784) SC Canadian Niagara Hotels & Entertainment (1,700) NF Canadian Tire Financial Services (1,400) W |
Many large employers either downsized or closed altogether in the last decade inNiagara. Niagara lost an estimated 4,400 jobs from 2002 to January, 2006, mostly in the manufacturing, goods producing sector: General Motors small engine block (600 jobs lost); GM Axle (750 jobs lost); Ferranti Packard (275 lay offs); Atlas Specialty Steel (500-600 jobs lost); Welland Pipe (200 jobs lost); General Drop Forge (50 jobs lost); GM-Delphi (500 jobs lost); Dana Corp (600 lay offs); Bazaar Novelty (200 lay offs); and Affinia (250 jobs lost). In 2008, the John Deere of Dain City/Welland plant closed and 800 jobs were lost. Note – at one time, GM employed 12,000 employees inNiagara.
Small and medium sized manufacturing is growing and diversifying in Niagara, but individually, these companies do not employ large workforces.
