Economic profile: Sault Ste. Marie (CA), Ontario
Overview
Sault Ste. MarieFootnote 1 has a population of 76,731, consisting of 25% seniors (65 and older), 61% working-age adults (15 to 64) and 14% children (under 15).
The key sectors of the economy in Sault Ste. Marie, which account for 47% of the jobs in the region, are
- health care and social assistance
- retail trade
- manufacturing
There are 30,895 employed residents, of which 5.4% are immigrants.Footnote 2
The economy generates a total of $4 billion in household and business incomes, which amounts to $51,583 per resident.
General age structure – 2021
| In the region | In the province | |
|---|---|---|
| % children (under 15) | 14% | 16% |
| % working-age adults (15 to 64) | 61% | 66% |
| % of seniors (65 and older) | 25% | 19% |
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. Sault Ste. Marie has fewer working-age adults than seniors compared to the average in Ontario.
From 2011 to 2021, Sault Ste. Marie experienced
- a 3.8% decrease in population, compared to an 11% increase in the province
- a 27% increase in the population’s proportion of seniors, compared to a 27% increase in the province
- an 8% 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
| Changes in the region | Changes in the province | |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | -3.8% | +11% |
| Proportion of children | +0.1 | -6.7% |
| Proportion of working-age adults | -8.0% | -4.1% |
| Proportion of seniors | +27% | +27% |
By 2031, without immigration,Footnote 3 the region could experienceFootnote 4
- a 3.8% decrease in population
- a 7.7% 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 26%, potentially changing the demand for local services, including health care and long-term care
No immigration – Possible changes from 2021 to 2031
| Changes in the region | Changes in the province | |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | -3.8% | +0.1% |
| Proportion of children | -12% | -12% |
| Proportion of working-age adults | -7.7% | -6.3% |
| Proportion of seniors | +26% | +32% |
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, Sault Ste. Marie experienced
- a 12% decrease in workforceFootnote 5 size, compared to a 7.8% increase in the province
- a 30% decrease in the number of immigrant workers, compared to a 9.5% increase in the province
- a total of 8,055 retirements,Footnote 6 which amounts to 23% 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 11% lower than the average in Ontario in 2021
Economic changes from 2011 to 2021
| Changes in the region | Changes in the province | |
|---|---|---|
| Workforce | -12% | +7.8% |
| Immigrant workers | -30% | +9.5% |
| Retirement as % of 2021 workforce | 23% | 16% |
| Wage income generated from jobsFootnote 7 | +13% | +37% |
By 2031, without immigration,Footnote 8 the region could experienceFootnote 9
- a 39% further decrease in workforce size
- a 33% decrease in the number of jobs
- an increase in the proportion of seniors in the population from 25% to 31%
No immigration – Possible changes from 2021 to 2031
| Changes in the region | Changes in the province | |
|---|---|---|
| Workforce | -39% | -36% |
| Retirement as % of 2031 workforce | 32% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | -33% | -31% |
Unless otherwise noted, all statistics are from the 2011, 2016 or 2021 editions of the Statistics Canada Census, and all calculations are from the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis.
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