Economic profile: Cochrane District, Ontario

Overview

Cochrane District^{Footnote 1} has a population of 77,963, consisting of 20% seniors (65 and older), 64% working-age adults (15 to 64) and 17% children (under 15).

The key sectors of the economy in Cochrane District, which account for 43% of the jobs in the region, are

• health care and social assistance
• retail trade
• mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

There are 34,040 employed residents, of which 3.1% are immigrants.^{Footnote 2}

The economy generates a total of $4.5 billion in household and business incomes, which amounts to $57,770 per resident.

General age structure – 2021

Sustainability

In order to support local services such as health care and social programs and maintain a good standard of living for everyone in the region, it is essential to have more working-age adults than seniors.

Cochrane District has fewer working-age adults than seniors compared to the average in Ontario.

From 2011 to 2021, Cochrane District experienced

• a 3.9% decrease in population, compared to an 11% increase in the province
• a 30% increase in the population’s proportion of seniors, compared to a 27% increase in the province
• a 5.9% decrease in the population’s proportion of working-age adults, compared to a 4.1% decrease in the province

Population structure – Changes from 2011 to 2021

By 2031, without immigration,^{Footnote 3} the region could experience^{Footnote 4}

• a 1.0% decrease in population
• a 7.8% decrease in the population’s proportion of working-age adults, which could limit the availability and quality of local services
• a further increase in the population’s proportion of seniors by 42%, potentially changing the demand for local services, including health care and long-term care

No immigration – Possible changes from 2021 to 2031

Prosperity

The region relies heavily on working-age adults to keep local services running smoothly and to maintain a good standard of living and economic growth. Immigrants can help by filling job gaps and bringing new skills and ideas, which keeps the local economy strong.

From 2011 to 2021, Cochrane District experienced

• a 6.3% decrease in workforce^{Footnote 5} size, compared to a 7.8% increase in the province
• a 5.9% increase in the number of immigrant workers, compared to a 9.5% increase in the province
• a total of 7,624 retirements,^{Footnote 6} which amounts to 20% of the 2021 workforce, compared to 16% in the province
• a change in the average income per resident from local jobs relative to the province, which is 3.3% lower than the average in Ontario in 2021

Economic changes from 2011 to 2021

By 2031, without immigration,^{Footnote 8} the region could experience^{Footnote 9}

• a 36% decrease in workforce size
• a 33% decrease in the number of jobs
• an increase in the proportion of seniors in the population from 20% to 28%

No immigration – Possible changes from 2021 to 2031

Supporting the community’s French-speaking population

Francophone immigration outside Quebec plays an important role in enhancing the vitality and economic development of Francophone minority communities across the country.

In Cochrane District, the Northern Corridor, which includes the towns between Hearst and Matheson on Route 11 (including Timmins and excluding the James Bay region), is part of the Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative launched by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. This initiative supports the economic and socio-cultural integration of French-speaking newcomers.

In total, 54% of Cochrane District’s population speaks French, with 39% speaking French as a first language and 15% as a second language.

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