Canadian Construction Association insight report underlines employment gaps

The Canadian Construction Association released their ICIC Construction Sector Quarterly Insight report for Q2 of 2023.

The insights for the sector note growth of 0.3 per cent, offset by a decline of 4.1 per cent in the residential sector but supported by an increase of 4.3 per cent in engineering and other construction activities sector.

In Q2, employment in the industry saw a 0.6 per cent decline, approximately equivalent to 10,130 fewer workers across Canada. B.C. saw the most losses at 14,000 workers, while Nova Scotia was second with 2,800. Alberta and Ontario offset their losses with an increase of 8,000 workers in Alberta and 2,500 in Ontario. Ontario reached its highest quarterly number of employees in the sector in this quarter.

Compared to Q2 2022, the sector is 2.8 per cent higher when it comes to construction employment, with an additional 43,000 workers employed in the industry. These vacancies still exceed their national average.

Eleven occupations account for 50 per cent of the total workforce in the construction industry, while also accounting for 61.3 per cent of the sector’s vacancies. These occupations are: plumbers, construction millwrights and industrial mechanics, civil engineers, welders, heavy equipment operators, construction managers, electricians, carpenters, construction trade helpers and labourers, material handlers, and transport truck drivers. Six of these occupations have been classified as at-risk due to projected labour shortages in the next 10 years, according to the Canadian Occupation Project System.

Eighty per cent of those employed in the above 11 occupations are workers born in Canada, while 20 per cent consist of workers who migrated to Canada through various programs. Immigrants supported by their families make up six per cent of the total employment. The Skilled Workers Program accounts for five per cent of employment and the Skilled Trades Program has the lowest participation in employment of migrant and immigrant workers in the sector.