Economic facts about Halifax, Nova Scotia including:
- population
- labourforce and employment
- employment by industry
- major employers
- house prices
- income
- major developments
- rankings
....and much more
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Halifax Quick Facts 2009
1. Halifax Quick Facts 2008.09
HALIFAX THREE-YEAR
POPULATION ESTIMATES
2005 380,600
2006 383,300 ESTIMATED POPULATION GROWTH
COMPARISON: 2005 – 2007
2007 385,500
Source: Statistics Canada 1.9%
MIGRATION ESTIMATES COMPARISON: 1.7% 1.6%
2004/2005
In Out Net 1.3%
Halifax 14,932 14,585 347
1.2% 1.2%
London 18,543 15,606 2,937
Regina 7,670 8,006 -336
St. John’s 6,329 5,810 519
Victoria 15,342 12,442 2,900
Source: Statistics Canada
Quebec Regina Victoria Halifax London St. John's
POPULATION BY MOTHER TONGUE Source: Statistics Canada
English 91.9%
French 3.1% MIGRATION ESTIMATES COMPARISON:
Arabic 1.1% 2006/2007
Chinese 0.4% In Out Net
Other 3.5% Halifax 15,754 13,254 2,500
Source: Statistics Canada London 17,450 14,430 3,020
Regina 8,730 6,809 1,921
POPULATION BY POLLING DISTRICT: TOP 5, 2006
Quebec 20,123 15,953 4,170
Preston – Lawrencetown – Chezzetcook 19,657
St. Johns's 6,608 5,403 1,205
Hammonds Plains – St. Margarets 19,627
Victoria 15,295 12,144 3,151
Timberlea – Prospect 19,377 Source: Statistics Canada
Cole Harbour 19,096
Waverley – Fall River – Beaver Bank 18,547
Source: HRM Community Development, Planning Services
1969 Upper Water Street, Suite 2101 • Purdy’s Wharf, Tower II • Halifax, NS B3J 3R7
P 902.490.6000 • 1.800.565.1191 • F 902.490.6010 • www.greaterhalifax.com
2. POPULATION BY AGE, 2006
Age 85 and over
1.5%
Age 75 to 84
4.0%
Age 65 to 74
6.5%
Age 55 to 64
11.6%
Age 45 to 54
16.0%
Age 25 to 44
30.1%
Age 20 to 24 7.5%
Age 15 to 19 6.5%
Age 10 to 14 6.0%
Age 5 to 9 5.3%
Age 0 to 4 4.9%
Source: Statistics Canada
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, 2006
Halifax has six degree-granting institutions and
67% of the population
three community college campuses enrolling
of Halifax have trade,
over 30,000 students.
college or university
qualifications – one of
UNIVERSITY LESS THAN top five cities in Canada.
35% HIGH SCHOOL
12%
Statistics Canada
High School
College
21%
21% Trades
11%
Source: Statistics Canada
LABOUR FORCE AND EMPLOYMENT, Annual 2008
Halifax Victoria Regina London St. John’s Quebec
Labour Force Size 221,000 197,500 118,800 262,800 106,800 410,300
Unemployment Rate 5.2% 3.3% 3.9% 7.0% 7.8% 4.5%
Participation Rate 69.7% 69.0% 70.9% 68.2% 69.1% 67.2%
Source: Statistics Canada
3. EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY, 2006
Other services
Accommodation and 4% Public
food services administration
Information, 7% 9% Other Goods
culture and Producing
recreation 1%
5%
Construction
6%
Health care and
social assistance
12% Manufacturing
5%
Educational
services
8% Trade
17%
Business, building
and other support
services Transportation
7% Professional, and
scientific and Finance, insurance, warehousing
technical services real estate and 5%
7% leasing
7%
Source: Nova Scotia Statistical Review, 2007
MAJOR PRIVATE AND PUBLIC EMPLOYERS
COMPANY INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT
Aliant Telecommunications 2,000 - 3,000
Atlantic Wholesalers Inc. Retail trade 2,000 - 3,000
Convergys Customer service 2,000 - 3,000
Casino Nova Scotia Gambling and accommodations 1,000 - 1,500
Municipal Group of Companies Civil contractors 900 - 1,000
IMP Group Ltd. Aerospace and aviation 900 - 1,000
Nova Scotia Power Electric power systems 700 - 800
Bank of Nova Scotia Financial services 500 - 1,000
Staples Retail/wholesale trade 500- 1,000
Halifax Shipyard Shipbuilding and repair 500 - 1,000
BMO Financial Group Financial services 500 - 1,000
RBC Royal Bank Financial services 500 - 1,000
Keane Information technology 500 - 1,000
Halterm Limited Marine cargo handling 500 - 1,000
Minacs Worldwide Customer service 500 - 1,000
Manulife Financial Financial services 500 - 1,000
EMC - Emergency Medical Centre Inc. Healthcare 500 - 1,000
PUBLIC SECTOR
Municipal 3,000+
Provincial 3,000+
Federal 9,000+
Department of National Defence – Maritime Forces Atlantic 9,000+
Source: Greater Halifax Partnership, SmartBusiness Consultations
4. COMPANIES THAT HAVE SETUP IN HALIFAX IN THE LAST 3 YEARS
Clarke Inc. Consolidated Fastfrate Butterfield Fund Services
Research In Motion Olympia Capital Citco Fund Services
Flagstone Re Admiral Insurance Marsh
Meridian Fund Services Saab Microwave Canada Ltd. Lixar IT Inc.
In 2007, Halifax's GDP growth ranked eighth in
INCOME Canada; it is expected to grow at 2.6% in 2008.
Average Income* Source: Conference Board of Canada
Halifax $35,031
London $36,720
Quebec $33,866
Retail sales continue to be strong in
Regina $36,272
Halifax reaching $5.7 billion at the
St. John’s $32,756
Victoria $37,065 end of 2007. It is projected to reach
*For persons with income. $5.9 billion by the end of 2008.
Source: Statistics Canada Source: Statistics Canada, Conference Board of Canada
MEDIAN PRICES, ABSORBED SINGLE-DETACHED UNITS
FOURTH QUARTER 2008 FOURTH QUARTER 2007
78% of households wired
Halifax $294,000 $269,900
to the internet – this is
London $309,981 $270,000
the highest percentage
Quebec $230,000 $230,000
of Internet users among
Regina $369,500 $299,845
regions in Canada.
St. John’s $231,313 $189,911
Source: Statistics Canada
Victoria $599,900 $598,000
Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Company, Housing Now
ONGOING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN GREATER HALIFAX:
Mainland Common Recreational Centre valued at $40.5 million
Bedford West Development, a 20 year project, $1 billion
The Ravines of Bedford South, a 15 year project worth $600 million
Russell Lake West Development valued at $400 million
Bedford Commons Development valued at nearly $300 million
Dartmouth Crossing retail/commercial development, $260 million
Harbour Isle Project valued at $250 million
Shearwater base expansion valued at nearly $100 million
Port of Halifax spending estimated at $139 million
Halifax Transit Plan with an estimated value of $155 million
Life Sciences Research Institute, valued at $60 million
Halifax Waterfront site development, valued at $90 million
University capital spending estimated at $75 million
Estimated Total: $3.47 billion
Source: APEC Major Projects 2009
5. FLYING TIME TO/FROM HALIFAX DIRECT, NON-STOP DESTINATIONS
New York 1 hr 51 mins Atlanta Keflavik
Boston 1 hr 35 mins Belfast London, UK
Bermuda Montreal
Washington, DC 3 hrs 17 mins
Boston New York/Newark
Chicago 3 hrs 10 mins
Calgary Ottawa
Detroit 3 hrs 10 mins
Chicago Paris
Atlanta 3 hrs 30 mins Detroit Toronto
Toronto 2 hrs 20 mins Frankfurt Washington, DC
Montreal 1 hr 35 mins Source: Halifax International Airport Authority
Ottawa 1 hr 50 mins
London Heathrow 5 hrs 50 mins
Halifax Stanfield International Airport received
Belfast 5 hrs 10 mins
3.6 million passengers in 2008. Halifax Stanfield
Paris 5 hrs 40 mins International Airport was awarded the world's
Frankfurt 6 hrs 45 mins best airport for overall passenger satisfaction in
Glasgow 5 hrs 20 mins its class (under five million passengers) for the
Keflavik 4 hrs 15 mins sixth straight year.
Bermuda 2 hrs 15 mins
MODE OF TRANSPORTATION TO WORK
HALIFAX
Halifax has the highest percentage
MODE OF TRANSPORTATION (9) TOTAL - # TOTAL - %
of people using public transit
Total – Mode of transportation 186,420 100.0%
among benchmark cities at 11.9%.
Car, truck, van as driver 121,400 65.1%
Our region also had the highest
Car, truck, van as passenger 19,830 10.6%
percentage increase in public
Public transit 22,115 11.9%
transportation usage among
Walked 18,845 10.1%
benchmark cities from 2001.
Bicycle 1,825 1.0% Source: Statistics Canada
Motorcycle 240 0.1%
Taxicab 520 0.3%
Other method 1,640 0.9%
Source: Statistics Canada
6. TAXATION
CORPORATE INCOME TAX
General Rate 16.00% According to the 2006 ‘Households
Manufacturing & Processing 16.00% and Environment Survey’ from Statistics
Small Business Rate 5.00% Canada, 68% of residents in Greater
CORPORATE CAPITAL TAX Halifax compost, this figure is the highest
General Rate 0.225% in Canada, with the national average
Financial Services 4.00% being 25%.
Source: Statistics Canada
Payroll Tax Nil
Source: Nova Scotia Department of Finance
HALIFAX COMMUTERS
> 25 km 15 - 24.9 km 15 - 14.9 km < 5 km
11,695 23,640 63,565 68,085
Median Commute = 6.5 km
Source: Statistics Canada
HALIFAX RANKINGS
• 9th – Best Cities for Business Survey ranked Halifax ninth among Canada’s largest cities. –
Canadian Business, 2006
• 4th – Top Ten Cities in Canada Poll placed Halifax fourth behind Montreal, Toronto and
Vancouver; with high marks in environment, economy and society. – Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation News, 2006
• 1st, 3rd – Halifax ranked as 2007/08 North American Small City of the Future (1st in Best
Infrastructure, and 3rd in Best Economic Potential) – fDi Magazine
• 9th – Halifax ranked 9th on a list of the 154 Best Places to Live in Canada – MoneySense
Magazine, 2008