Annual Employment Survey: Help the Region plan for the future
Each year, Halton Region collects information on businesses and employment in the region through an Employment Survey. Information gathered through the annual survey helps the Region:
- monitor the region’s economic health and assess trends in economic development (e.g., local economic activity and land use patterns)
- monitor and implement land use targets
- support water, wastewater and transportation master plans
All data collected from the survey is consolidated and released to the public though the Employment Survey Results report. Individual business information is neither identifiable nor published in the report.
Are you a business owner or operator in Halton? Provide your email address to receive updates on the Annual Employment Survey and how you can participate. Thank you!
Participate in the 2023 Employment Survey
The 2023 Employment Survey takes place between May 1 and September 29, 2023. A team of Planning Employment Surveyors from the Region’s Planning Services Division will reach out to businesses across Halton to gather information about:
- the number of employees working at the place of employment;
- the type of employment that’s taking place there; and
- the type of business activity at the place of employment.
Your responses will help us understand current regional economic development strategies and land use trends, and prepare for future growth in years to come.
To participate in the 2023 Employment Survey, you can:
- Take our survey online: Complete the survey from your smartphone, tablet or computer.
- Speak to one of our Employment Surveyors: Our Planning Employment Surveyors will be contacting businesses in Halton until September 29, 2023. Businesses will be visited in-person, or contacted by phone or email using the contact information that was provided by the previous survey respondent at the business.
If you are unsure whether you are being contacted by a Planning Employment Surveyor from Halton Region, you can call 311 or 905-825-6000 to confirm their status as a Regional employee. Alternatively, you may request to be contacted by email and our Planning Employment Surveyor will reach out to you using a verified Halton email address.
Individual responses will not be disclosed publicly by Halton Region unless required to do so by law. The data collected will be shared with our Local Municipalities (the City of Burlington, and the Towns of Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville).
Thank you for your participation in the 2023 Employment Survey!
Past Survey Results
The 2022 Employment Survey took place between May 9 and September 30, 2021. A team of Employment Surveyors from the Region’s Planning Services Division reached out to businesses in Halton in person and by phone or by email to gather updated business and employment information. Businesses were also able to respond through an online survey. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s survey.
The results of the Employment Survey are now available, and show increases to the total number of businesses and jobs.
2022 Survey Highlights
- The total number of jobs identified in 2022 increased by about 5,400 jobs from 2021, a 2.3 per cent increase.
- There was also an increase in the number of businesses identified compared to 2021, an increase by 220 businesses.
- Of the 7,410 businesses that responded to the survey question regarding working from home, about 23 per cent indicated that the businesses had a work-from-home arrangements with their employees.
- Employment Areas in Halton hosted more than 40 per cent of total businesses and 49 per cent of total jobs.
2021 Survey Results
The 2021 Employment Survey took place between May 10 and September 30, 2021. A team of nine Surveyors from the Region’s Planning Services Division reached out to businesses in Halton by phone or by email to gather updated business and employment information. Businesses were also able to respond through an online survey. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s survey.
The results of the Employment Survey are now available and show a positive future for the region’s recovery, despite the global impacts of COVID-19. Our local businesses have shown remarkable resilience and have adapted to the pandemic through work-from-home arrangements, new health and safety measures and an enhanced digital presence.
2021 Survey Highlights:
- Jobs in Halton increased by an estimated 2.8 per cent between 2020 and 2021.
- Businesses in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services sector saw the highest net estimated increase in jobs – a more than 17 per cent increase from 2020.
- More than 26 per cent of employers indicated they had staff work from home.
- Employment Areas in Halton hosted more than 41 per cent of total businesses and 51 per cent of total jobs.
2020 Employment Survey Results
The 2020 Employment Survey took place between September 14 and December 31, 2020. The results of the Employment Survey are now available online, and show the significant and widespread impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Halton’s business community.
2020 Survey Highlights
- The survey identified 13,647 businesses (a slight decrease from 13,650 businesses in 2019) and estimated 228,400 jobs (a decrease by 5.4 per cent from 241,423 jobs in 2019).
- Halton’s Employment Areas continue to play a significant role in supporting regional economic activities, with 43.8 per cent of total businesses and 53.6 per cent of total jobs located in these areas.
- In 2020, 4,973 businesses responded to the work-from-home survey question. 21.6 per cent of the responding businesses (1,072 businesses) indicated that the employees were working from home;
- The sector with the highest net decrease in total jobs was Accommodation and Food Services (a decrease of 3,800 jobs, or a 20.1 per cent decrease from 18,911 jobs in 2019); and
- The sector with the highest net increase in total jobs was Health Care and Social Assistance sector (an increase by 2,200 jobs, or an 8.7 per cent increase from 25,154 jobs in 2019).
Halton Region Business Conditions Survey
Halton Region Economic Development in partnership with the Halton Local Municipalities carries out an annual business survey that collects information from private sector employers across Halton to gain insight on current business and economic conditions and their upcoming business investment, expansion and exporting plans. Information from the survey will help Halton Region and its Local Municipalities tailor programming to the needs of the business community.
All data collected from the survey is consolidated and released to the public though the Halton Region Business Conditions Survey Results report. Individual business information is neither identifiable nor published in the report.
Halton Region 2022 Business Conditions Survey Results report (PDF file)