The largest percentage of resident labour force (by industry) in the Western Region, including Digby, is employed in the Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industry, which accounts for 17.0% of the labour force compared to 3.7% for Nova Scotia. The percentage of labour force (13.1%) in the local Retail Trade industry is also high.
| Characteristic 14 | Western Region | Western Region (%) | Nova Scotia (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total labour force 15 years and over by industry | 26,643 | 100.0 | 525,462 |
| Industry - Not applicable | 500 | 1.9 | 2.0 |
| All industries | 26,143 | 98.1 | 98.0 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 4,522 | 17.0 | 3.7 |
| Mining and oil and gas extraction | 0 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| Utilities | 16 | 0.1 | 0.6 |
| Construction | 1,488 | 5.6 | 6.7 |
| Manufacturing | 3,044 | 11.4 | 6.9 |
| Wholesale trade | 748 | 2.8 | 3.2 |
| Retail trade | 3,497 | 13.1 | 12.7 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 690 | 2.6 | 4.0 |
| Information and cultural industries | 271 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| Finance and insurance | 437 | 1.6 | 3.3 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 222 | 0.8 | 1.4 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 782 | 2.9 | 5.0 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services | 880 | 3.3 | 4.9 |
| Educational services | 2,003 | 7.5 | 8.1 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,210 | 12.0 | 12.4 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 350 | 1.3 | 2.0 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,371 | 5.1 | 6.6 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,153 | 4.3 | 4.2 |
| Public administration | 1,461 | 5.5 | 9.9 |
Source: Western REN from Human Resources Skills Development Canada's Labour Market Information Service (2016).