Population
The City of Sherbrooke has 6 boroughs and covers 3.5% of the Eastern Townships. It has an area of roughly 36,000 hectares. It has 150,000 residents, approximately half of the total population of the Eastern Townships (a little more than 300 000). Between 2004 and 2008, the population of Sherbrooke increased 2.9%, compared to 2.6% for the province as a whole.
Distribution of the population by age and sex
| | Age groups | Males | Females | | 0-14 | 12,376 | 11,499 | 15-24
| 11,319 | 11,203 | 25-34
| 11,248 | 10,487 | 35-44
| 9,689 | 9,567 | 45-54
| 10,959 | 11,697 | 55-64
| 8,868 | 9,715 | | 65-74 | 5,083 | 6086 | | 75 and over | 3,813 | 7,078 | | TOTAL | 73,335 | 77,332 | | | Source: Institut de la statistique du Québec, 2008
| |
Labour market indicators
The Eastern Townships is well positioned in terms of unemployment, ranked well below the Quebec average of 8.4%, and ranks 4th among the 16 regions of Quebec. In Sherbrooke, the unemployment rate is lower than the provincial average. Sherbrooke ranks 3rd among the 6 metropolitan regions surveyed.
| Labor market indicators – Sherbrooke |  | Sherbrooke1 | Eastern Townships2 | Quebec province2 | | Population 15 years and over | 140,300 | 253,500 | 6,438,500 | | Labour force | 91,800
| 173,600 | 4,286,700 | | Employed | 85,500
| 162,000 | 3,927,600 | | Unemployed | 6,300 | 11,600 | 359,100 | | Employed/population 15 years and over | 60.9% | 63.9% | 61% | | Participation rate | 65.4% | 68.5% | 66.6% | | Unemployment rate | 6.9% | 6.7% | 8.4% | | | | Source: Emploi-Québec Estrie, August 2009 | |
Distribution of jobs by sector of activity
| The labour force in the Sherbrooke area is 88,200 strong. It is distributed as follows: the construction sector 4% of jobs, the manufacturing sector 19%, commerce 14%, health care and social services 16%, education 11% and other services 36%. Sherbrooke is an important regional centre, thus the tertiary sector, particularly health care, social services, education and businesses are the most predominant. |
Distribution of jobs by sector
Sources: Statistics Canada
Special compilation by Emploi-Québec Estrie, annual average 2008
|
TOP EMPLOYERS IN SHERBROOKE
| Employers | Number of employees | | Université de Sherbrooke | 6,900 | | CHUS (Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke) (Sherbrooke’s university hospital) | 5,551 | Commission scolaire de la Région-de-Sherbrooke
(regional school board) | 3,384 | Community health service centres –
Sherbrooke Geriatric University Institute | 2,563 | | City of Sherbrooke and Hydro-Sherbrooke | 1,803 | | Cégep de Sherbrooke | 800 | | Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec (credit union) | 550 | | Nordia Inc. | 500 | | E.T.F.S. | 485 | | Kruger | 455 | | | Source: LIC Estrie, March 2009
| |
Industrial profile
The industrial sector is robust and dynamic in the Sherbrooke area. Some 10,447 people work in 365 businesses. If we include the area within a 50 km radius of Sherbrooke, the number of industrial jobs increases to 29,960.
Distribution of jobs by industrial sector – 2008
Source: SDÉS Industrial Inventory 2008
In the Sherbrooke area, the industrial sector is dynamic
and diversified: 18 out of 20 sectors are represented. | |
TOP INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES:
| Source: SDÉS Industrial Inventory 2008 | |
EVOLUTION OF THE NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL AND TERTIARY JOBS IN THE SHERBROOKE AREA
Source: SDÉS Industrial Inventory 2004-2008
Note: Excluded are the full-time jobs filled by employment agencies | |
EVOLUTION OF THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES IN THE SHERBROOKE AREA
| Source: SDÉS Industrial Inventory 2004-2008 | |
Distribution of labour force by business size
| Source: SDÉS Industrial Inventory 2008 | |
Distribution of businesses by size
| Source: SDÉS Industrial Inventory 2008 | |
DISTRIBUTION OF INVESTMENT
In 2008, investments reached $182.5 million.
| Source: SDÉS Industrial Inventory 2008 | | | | |
.jpg)
