Yellowknife (Feb 26/03) - The workforce in both NWT and Nunavut is getting older.

But it is still considerably younger than in the South, according to the latest data release drawn from the 2001 census.

The census data provides an often surprising look at changes in the workforce over the 10 years from 1991 to 2001.

In 2001, 59 per cent of the NWT workforce was 35 and older, up from 46.5 per cent 10 years earlier.

In Nunavut, 50.9 per cent of the workforce was 35 or older, compared to 42 per in 1991. At the same time, Nunavut had the lowest proportion of people aged 55+ in the workforce -- just 7.9 per cent.

NWT the second lowest at 8.5 per cent. The national average is 11.8 per cent.

Other highlights from the 10-year study:

- In the NWT in 1991 there were 8.2 workers aged 20-34 for every worker aged 55 and over. By 2001 this had dropped to 4.1. The national average is 2.7.

- In Nunavut in 1991 there were 8.9 workers aged 20-34 for every worker aged 55 and older. This fell to 5.4 per cent by 2001.

- Women drove the growth in the labour force in much of Canada. In NWT, the proportion of women in the workforce increased by 9.1 per cent. The national average increase was 13.9 per cent.