Regional Forecast
Manitoba consists of six distinct economic regions. Each region has unique economic and labour market conditions, which in turn provide differing opportunities for employment and create different levels of labour demand over time.
| Region | Employment 2021 |
5-Year Growth Rate 2022–2026 |
Participation Rate | Unemployment Rate | Job Openings 2022-2026 | ||
| Expansion | Replacement | Total | |||||
| Winnipeg | 405,400 | 3.00% | 68.0 | 6.9 | 28,600 | 47,300 | 75,800 |
| Southeast | 62,200 | 4.50% | 66.2 | 5.6 | 5,700 | 7,200 | 12,900 |
| Southwest | 55,700 | 5.30% | 64.0 | 5.2 | 500 | 6,700 | 7,200 |
| North Central and South Central | 56,400 | 3.90% | 65.1 | 5.7 | 4,500 | 6,400 | 10,900 |
| Interlake | 43,700 | -1.70% | 60.5 | 5.2 | -1,800 | 5,700 | 3,900 |
| Parklands and North | 31,700 | -6.20% | 62.0 | 5.7 | -1,300 | 3,500 | 2,200 |
| TOTAL | 655,000 | 2.70% | 66.4 | 6.4 | 36,300 | 76,700 | 113,000 |
Winnipeg Region
The Winnipeg economic region is comprised of the City of Winnipeg and the Rural Municipality of Headingley, and is home to over half of Manitoba’s population.
In 2021, the region had an employed workforce of 405,400 individuals. The region’s unemployment rate stood at 6.9%, the highest in the province, and labour force participation was at 68.0%, the highest participation rate among regions.
The following table presents the estimated job openings by 1-digit National Occupational Classification (NOC), between 2022 and 2026 in the Winnipeg region.
Winnipeg’s three largest industries in terms of employment are healthcare and social assistance, wholesale and retail trade, and manufacturing.
Job openings are expected to be highest in sales and service occupations (17,300), education, law and social, community and government services (13,000) and business, finance and administration occupations (12,100).
| NOC – Title | Total Job Openings 2022 to 2026 |
| Total - Occupation - National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 | 75,800 |
| 0 Management occupations | 7,600 |
| 1 Business, finance and administration occupations | 12,100 |
| 2 Natural and applied sciences and related occupations | 3,800 |
| 3 Health occupations | 7,500 |
| 4 Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services | 13,000 |
| 5 Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport | 2,600 |
| 6 Sales and service occupations | 17,300 |
| 7 Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations | 8,700 |
| 8 Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations | 700 |
| 9 Occupations in manufacturing and utilities | 2,600 |
Southeast Region
The Southeast region includes Census Divisons 1, 2 and 12. Its largest communities include Steinbach, Lac du Bonnet, Niverville and Powerview-Pine Falls.
This is the second most populated Manitoba region, and in 2021 was estimated to have an employed workforce of 62,200 individuals. At 5.6%, the unemployment rate was below the provincial average with labour force participation at 66.2%.
The following table presents the estimated job openings by 1-digit NOC, between 2022 and 2026 in the Southeast region.
Southeast’s three largest industries in terms of employment are construction, wholesale and retail trade, and healthcare and social assistance.
Job openings are expected to be highest in trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (3,500), followed by sales and service occupations (2,400) and business, finance and administration occupations (1,900).
| NOC – Title | Total Job Openings 2022 to 2026 |
| Total - Occupation - National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 | 12,900 |
| 0 Management occupations | 1,500 |
| 1 Business, finance and administration occupations | 1,900 |
| 2 Natural and applied sciences and related occupations | 700 |
| 3 Health occupations | 900 |
| 4 Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services | 1,200 |
| 5 Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport | 300 |
| 6 Sales and service occupations | 2,400 |
| 7 Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations | 3,500 |
| 8 Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations | 400 |
| 9 Occupations in manufacturing and utilities | 200 |
Southwest Region
The Southwest region is the third largest Manitoba region by population and includes Manitoba’s second-largest city, Brandon.
In 2021, the region was estimated to have an employed workforce of 55,700 individuals. Its unemployment rate was 5.2%, tied for lowest in the province, and the share of its working age population participating in the labour force stood at 64.0%.
The following table presents the estimated job openings by 1-digit NOC, between 2022 and 2026 in the Southwest region.
Southwest’s three largest industries in terms of employment are healthcare and social assistance, wholesale and retail trade, and manufacturing.
Job openings are expected to be highest in sales and service occupations (1,700), health occupations (1,600) and trades, transport and equipment operators (1,500).
| NOC – Title | Total Job Openings 2022 to 2026 |
| Total - Occupation - National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 | 7,200 |
| 0 Management occupations | 0 |
| 1 Business, finance and administration occupations | 900 |
| 2 Natural and applied sciences and related occupations | 100 |
| 3 Health occupations | 1,600 |
| 4 Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services | 1,300 |
| 5 Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport | 200 |
| 6 Sales and service occupations | 1,700 |
| 7 Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations | 1,500 |
| 8 Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations | -300 |
| 9 Occupations in manufacturing and utilities | 300 |
North Central and South Central Regions
Combined, the North Central and South Central regions are the fourth most populated Manitoba region, and in 2021 was estimated to have an employed workforce of 56,400 individuals. Major centres include Portage la Prairie, Winkler, Morden and Altona.
The regions had an unemployment rate at 5.7%, and a participation rate of 65.1%.
The following table presents the estimated job openings by 1-digit NOC, between 2022 and 2026 in the North Central and South Central regions combined.
North Central and South Central’s three largest industries in terms of employment are healthcare and social assistance, agriculture and manufacturing.
Job openings are expected to be highest in occupations in education, law and social, community and government services (2,600), business, finance and administration occupations (2,000) and sales and service occupations (1,700).
| NOC – Title | Total Job Openings 2022 to 2026 |
| Total - Occupation - National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 | 10,900 |
| 0 Management occupations | 1,200 |
| 1 Business, finance and administration occupations | 2,000 |
| 2 Natural and applied sciences and related occupations | 500 |
| 3 Health occupations | 900 |
| 4 Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services | 2,600 |
| 5 Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport | 200 |
| 6 Sales and service occupations | 1,700 |
| 7 Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations | 1,700 |
| 8 Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations | -100 |
| 9 Occupations in manufacturing and utilities | 400 |
Interlake Region
The Interlake region is the fifth largest Manitoba region by population and in 2021 was estimated to have an employed workforce of 43,700 individuals. It includes the communities of Selkirk, Stonewall, East St. Paul and West St Paul. Many individuals are commuting from these population centres to the City of Winnipeg for work on a daily basis.
The region had an unemployment rate of 5.2% in 2021, tied for lowest in Manitoba, and a participation rate of 60.5%, the lowest in the province.
The following table presents the estimated job openings by 1-digit NOC, between 2022 and 2026 in the Interlake region. Interlake’s three largest industries in terms of employment are healthcare and social assistance, wholesale and retail trade, and construction.
The region is one of two in the province that is expected to experience economic contraction and all net job openings are expected to be the result of retirements of existing workers. Job openings are expected to be highest in trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (1,800), management occupations (700), and sales and service occupations (400).
| NOC – Title | Total Job Openings 2022 to 2026 |
| Total - Occupation - National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 | 3,900 |
| 0 Management occupations | 700 |
| 1 Business, finance and administration occupations | 300 |
| 2 Natural and applied sciences and related occupations | 0 |
| 3 Health occupations | 300 |
| 4 Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services | 100 |
| 5 Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport | -100 |
| 6 Sales and service occupations | 400 |
| 7 Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations | 1,800 |
| 8 Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations | 200 |
| 9 Occupations in manufacturing and utilities | 200 |
Parklands and North Regions
Combined, the Parklands and North regions are the largest by area, but the smallest in terms of employment. It relies on natural resource extraction for a significant proportion of its economic activity. Major population centres include Thompson, Dauphin, The Pas and Flin Flon.
In 2021, the regions were estimated to have an employed workforce of 31,700 individuals. Please note that these forecasts exclude employment in First Nations communities.
The regions had an unemployment rate of 5.7%, while their participation rate stood at 62.6% in 2021, the second lowest labour force participation in the province.
The following table presents the estimated job openings by 1-digit NOC, between 2022 and 2026 in the Parklands and North regions.
Parklands and North’s three largest industries in terms of employment are healthcare and social assistance, wholesale and retail trade, and agriculture.
The North region is one of two regions in the province where the employment is expected to contract over the next five years, with all net job openings resulting from retirements.
Job openings are expected to be highest in sales and service occupations (1,000), business, finance and administration occupations (800), and occupations in education, law and social, community and government services (400).
| NOC – Title | Total Job Openings 2022 to 2026 |
| Total - Occupation - National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 | 2,200 |
| 0 Management occupations | 100 |
| 1 Business, finance and administration occupations | 800 |
| 2 Natural and applied sciences and related occupations | 100 |
| 3 Health occupations | 200 |
| 4 Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services | 400 |
| 5 Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport | 200 |
| 6 Sales and service occupations | 1,000 |
| 7 Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations | 0 |
| 8 Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations | -300 |
| 9 Occupations in manufacturing and utilities | -200 |
