Economic profile: Superior East Region, Ontario

Overview

The Superior East Region^{Footnote 1} has a population of 43,668, consisting of 29% seniors (65 and older), 58% working-age adults (15 to 64) and 14% children (under 15).

The key sectors of the economy in the Superior East Region, which account for 41% of the jobs in the region, are

• health care and social assistance
• retail trade
• construction

There are 15,855 employed residents, of which 1.4% are immigrants.^{Footnote 2}

The economy generates a total of $2.1 billion in household and business incomes, which amounts to $48,208 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. The Superior East Region has fewer working-age adults than seniors compared to the average in Ontario.

From 2011 to 2021, the Superior East Region experienced

• a 1.9% increase in population, compared to an 11% increase in the province
• a 29% increase in the population’s proportion of seniors, compared to a 27% increase in the province
• a 10% 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 6.5% decrease in population
• a 13% 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 35%, 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, the Superior East Region experienced

• a 41% increase in workforce^{Footnote 5} size, compared to a 7.8% increase in the province
• a 53% decrease in the number of immigrant workers, compared to a 9.5% increase in the province
• a total of 3,096 retirements,^{Footnote 6} which amounts to 17% 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 13% 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 45% decrease in workforce size
• a 41% decrease in the number of jobs
• an increase in the proportion of seniors in the population from 29% to 39%

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.

Ontario’s Superior East Region is one of six communities in Canada participating in the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, a community-driven pilot designed to spread the benefits of economic immigration to smaller communities and increase the number of French-speaking newcomers in Francophone minority communities outside of Quebec.

In total, 17% of the region’s population speaks French, with 10% speaking French as a first language and 7% as a second language.

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