Here's what P.E.I. looked like in 2015, in 3 easy pieces
Kevin Yarr | CBC News | Posted: June 9, 2016 3:01 PM | Last Updated: June 9, 2016
Lobster, housing starts, exports up; jobs, farm receipts down
Highlights from P.E.I.'s 2015 Annual Statistical Review, released this week.
A good year for lobster, and cars
Lobster landings and motor vehicle sales hit all-time highs.
- Lobster landings reached 32.2 million pounds valued at $150.2 million.
- 7,976 new motor vehicles were sold in 2015, valued at $243.0 million.
Also hitting an all-time high, the number of Islanders: 146,447 on July 1, 2015, an increase of 0.2 per cent over 2014.
A growing economy
The P.E.I. economy grew 1.5 per cent in 2015, spurred by big jumps in exports and housing starts.
- Housing starts totaled 558, an increase of 9.2 per cent
- International exports increased by 16.4 per cent, to $1.3 billion
- Retail sales increased by 2.3 per cent
On the down side, farm cash receipts were $466.7 million, a decrease of 1.8 per cent.
A mixed job picture
Employment averaged 73,200, a decrease of 800 or 1.1 per cent.
With fewer people looking for work, the unemployment rate was down 0.2 percentage points, averaging 10.4 per cent.
Despite fewer jobs, total labour income increased by 3.6 per cent.
- MORE P.E.I. NEWS | Families looking for help, but daycare can't get licence
- MORE P.E.I. NEWS | P.E.I., N.B. receive pennies on the dollar in sale of GeoSweep shares