An increase has been recorded in the number of jobs in the Canadian automotive manufacturing sector, new figures show.

Data from Statistics Canada and DesRosiers Automotive Consultants indicate more than 15,000 positions were added by companies in the industry during the first half of 2011, the Hamilton Spectator reports.

The sector is showing signs of recovering from the global economic downturn and the report reveals new jobs growth was fuelled by vehicle and parts manufacturers, which employed 15,300 more people over the six months to June.

This marked a 13.3 per cent expansion of its workforce to 130,100 individuals and follows six years of employment declines in the automotive sector, with further hiring expected in 2012.

According to the news source, increasing demand for cars in North America is prompting the recruitment increase, with the report declaring: "The automotive parts sector has proved naysayers wrong and played its strongest hand in years."

The figures follow a report from Statistics Canada showing the number of people claiming regular employment insurance benefits fell in the nation for the eighth month in a row during May 2011.

Posted by Fiona Summers