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Archive:
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003
July 21, 2010 – Workforce mobility key to meeting Atlantic construction needs
July 6, 2010 – Stimulus and private sector key to construction industry’s resurgence
June 24, 2010 – Steady growth keeps skilled trades in demand
June 8, 2010 – Record high number of construction workers to continue
February 11, 2010 – Construction industry leaders say mentorship program can prevent skills drain
January 11, 2010 – After the Soft Landing: The Expansion of Canada’s Construction Industry
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Workforce mobility key to meeting Atlantic construction needs |
July 21, 2010
A new forecast of labour supply and demand in construction has industry leaders in Canada’s Atlantic provinces preparing for labour market shifts complicated by limited workforce growth. But the report says that despite volatility in specific sectors, employment levels in 2018 will be similar to what they are today.
The Construction Sector Council’s (CSC) new nine-year forecast for New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador breaks down labour requirements by trade and province, and includes a summary of major projects.
“Our challenge is to have a steady supply of skilled workers available when and where they are needed,” says George Gritziotis, Executive Director of the Construction Sector Council. “To do that, our industry needs to keep promotion and recruitment on the front burner at all times, and encourage mobility within the region.”
The forecast says the industry will see a slight decline in total construction employment estimated at almost 1,500 by the end of the outlook scenario in 2018. Demographics, however, will have a significant impact in Atlantic Canada as the more than 17,000 workers are expected to be lost to retirements and mortality between 2010 and 2018. These will be partially offset by first-time new entrants to the labour force estimated at 11,500, but these will not be sufficient to meet the replacement needs. Industry will need to turn its attention to recruiting workers from other provinces, industries or countries to meet labour requirements.
The complete report for Atlantic Canada is available online at www.csc-ca.org and it includes the following provincial highlights:
- In New Brunswick, the 2009 recession passed with limited job losses in construction thanks to new housing and ongoing industrial, commercial and institutional projects that kept employment levels relatively high over the past few years. But as these projects end, the stage is set for a downturn in activity that lasts until about 2013. After that, housing and some engineering projects will lead a mild recovery, but employment will be below recent record-high levels at the end of the scenario period.
- In Nova Scotia, momentum in institutional, utilities and infrastructure work combined to generate construction jobs and avoid the worst impacts of the global recession. With no planned major projects scheduled, employment growth slows as current projects end. Employment levels at the end of the outlook scenario remain close to current levels.
- Newfoundland and Labrador, by contrast, will experience a downturn in housing construction, though big industrial and utility/resource projects begin to hire and drive a construction cycle to peak demands starting in 2013. Non-residential employment increases by more than 60 percent from 2011 to 2013 for many trades as it rises to peak demand in 2014. After that, employment returns to current levels.
- Similarly, commercial and industrial projects in Prince Edward Island add jobs, and in 2015, there is a jump in utility-related work.
The CSC compiles reports for each province following consultations with industry leaders, as well as governments and educational institutions. The national and regional scenario-based forecasts are released annually and are available online at www.csc-ca.org. In addition, all scenario-based forecast data is available at www.constructionforecasts.ca.
The Construction Sector Council is Canada’s most reliable source for labour market forecasting and commentary. The CSC is a national industry organization funded by the Government of Canada’s Sector Council Program. The CSC is committed to maintaining and developing a highly skilled workforce – one that will support the future needs of the construction industry in Canada.
For more information, contact:
Rosemary Sparks
Senior Director of Planning and Development
Construction Sector Council
(613) 569-5552
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Stimulus and private sector key to construction industry’s resurgence |
July 6, 2010
How quickly British Columbia’s construction industry emerges from the steep downturn that began in 2008 will depend on the timing of government stimulus and the resurgence of private-sector-led projects, says a newly released report by the Construction Sector Council (CSC).
In its annual report on the supply and demand for construction labour in B.C., the CSC estimated that construction employment fell by 15 percent with the loss of over 21,000 jobs during the downturn.
“The Home Renovation Tax Credit, and other government investment in social and First Nations public housing infrastructure, have helped labour markets through the downturn. These programs support economic growth and provide opportunities for skilled workers,” says M.J. Whitemarsh, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of BC, who notes that in general, construction workers faced 10% to 15% job losses (21,000 jobs) in the downturn.
But the provincial Construction Looking Forward report estimates the return of stronger labour markets for much of the forecast period.
“Industry and governments must also consider that the demographic challenge is here today and that we need to continue to address our labour market needs,” says Wayne Peppard, Executive Director of the British Columbia and Yukon Building Trades.
Looking ahead until 2018, the B.C. scenario indicates 28,000 workers will retire, 3,700 positions will be lost due to mortality, and 27,400 new jobs will be created. And it estimates that the 24,000 new entrants will not be enough to meet demand.
“There will not be enough new workers to fill labour requirements, so our priorities will be on recruiting, training and career promotion that targets all potential sources of labour,” says Manley McLachlan, President of the British Columbia Construction Association, who also noted that, “Construction managers, contractors and supervisors will be in high demand throughout most of the forecast period.
The CSC compiles reports for each province following consultations with industry leaders, as well as governments and educational institutions. The national and regional scenario-based forecasts are released annually and are available online at
www.csc-ca.org. In addition, all scenario-based forecast data is available at www.constructionforecasts.ca.
The Construction Sector Council is Canada’s most reliable source for labour market forecasting and commentary. The CSC is a national industry organization funded by the Government of Canada's Sector Council Program. The CSC is committed to maintaining and developing a highly skilled workforce – one that will support the future needs of the construction industry in Canada.
For more information, contact:
Alix Russell
Director of Communications
Canadian Home Builders’ Association of BC
(604) 785-2227
Rosemary Sparks
Construction Sector Council
(905) 852-9186
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Steady growth keeps skilled trades in demand |
June 24, 2010
WINNIPEG – A new forecast says employment in Manitoba’s construction industry will reach record high levels, and skilled tradespeople will be in demand for at least the next eight years. The Construction Sector Council (CSC) report says the recession did not reduce the demand for workers by much, and that steady growth and an aging workforce will limit the available supply from 2010 to 2018.
“Clearly, there will not be enough new entrants to replace retirements and mortality let alone finding workers for new construction projects,” says John Schubert, Chair of the Manitoba Construction Sector Council. “So we are very focused on recruitment and will be increasing our efforts to promote the industry to new entrants, and to invest in apprenticeship. We are also looking at new labour sources from other industries and provinces, and from immigration.”
The CSC compiles Construction Looking Forward reports for each province following consultations with industry leaders as well as governments and educational institutions. They outline labour supply and demand in the provincial industry, and include a ranking system for some 30 trades.
Manitoba is in the middle of a strong construction cycle. Major mining, hydro electric, transmission and other engineering projects will keep construction employment strong throughout the outlook scenario.
Across the forecast period, employment will rise by 6,200 jobs between 2010 and 2018. In addition, there are replacement requirements from 5,300 retirements, and the loss of 900 workers due to the natural mortality rate.
“We aren’t seeing the volatility that we’ve seen in previous cycles, adds David Martin, President of the Manitoba Building Trades. “The data are showing regular, but steady growth. With proper workforce planning, that is quite manageable,” he says, noting that “the forecast allows us to get ahead of the curve and be prepared.”
The CSC compiles reports for each province following consultations with industry leaders, as well as governments and educational institutions. The national and regional scenario-based forecasts are released annually and are available online at: www.csc-ca.org. In addition, all scenario based forecast data is available at www.constructionforecasts.ca.
The Construction Sector Council is Canada’s most reliable source for labour market forecasting and commentary. The CSC is a national industry organization funded by the Government of Canada's Sector Council Program. The CSC is committed to maintaining and developing a highly skilled workforce – one that will support the future needs of the construction industry in Canada.
For more information, contact:
Taras Luchak
Manitoba Construction Sector Council
(204) 272-5091
Rosemary Sparks
Construction Sector Council
(905) 852-9186
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Record high number of construction workers to continue |
June 8, 2010
REGINA – Saskatchewan’s construction industry is driving the province’s booming economy, and employment levels are expected to remain at a 30-year high until 2018.
The Construction Sector Council’s just-released forecast of labour supply and demand has industry leaders planning well ahead to deal with a very tight and shifting need for some skilled trades.
The Construction Looking Forward report estimates non-residential employment will grow by more than 50% from 2008 to 2011. The surge in jobs began with industrial, infrastructure and other engineering projects, which more than offset a temporary weakness in housing.
“While we experienced a slight downturn in new home construction, increases in renovation activity in recent months and a resurgence in the new home sector in the first five months of this year are leading the market to show increases in 2010 and 2011,” remarked Alan Thomarat, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Saskatchewan.
“Many trades and occupations in the residential sector will find increasing and new opportunities through these changing markets,” Thomarat adds.
More than 7,000 new entrants join the workforce over the 2010-2018 forecast period, but 5,100 retirements are planned and another 1,000 workers will be lost due to the natural mortality rate.
“Meeting this demographic challenge requires the industry working together to replace and sustain our skilled construction workforce,” says Terry Parker, Business Manager, Saskatchewan Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council.
“The projected number of new workers will barely replace what we will lose over the next decade, let alone fill demand for new building,” says Michael Fougere, President of the Saskatchewan Construction Association.
“We’re working with schools and training institutions to promote careers in construction and to target training and apprenticeship programs,” he says.
The CSC compiles reports for each province following consultations with industry leaders, including contractors, owners and labour groups, as well as governments and educational institutions. The national and regional scenario based forecasts are released annually and are available online at: www.csc-ca.org. In addition, all scenario based forecast data is available at www.constructionforecasts.ca.
The Construction Sector Council is Canada’s most reliable source for labour market forecasting and commentary. The CSC is a national industry organization funded by the Government of Canada's Sector Council Program. The CSC is committed to maintaining and developing a highly skilled workforce – one that will support the future needs of the construction industry in Canada.
For more information, contact:
Michael Fougere
Saskatchewan Construction Association
Co-Chair, Saskatchewan LMI Committee
Ph. (306) 525-0171
Rosemary Sparks
Construction Sector Council
(905) 852-9186
TOP PRINT
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Construction industry leaders say mentorship program can prevent skills drain |
February 11, 2010
OTTAWA – Though close to 200,000 construction workers are expected to retire between 2010 and 2018, the industry is taking steps to make sure their skills and knowledge stay at the jobsite.
A national mentoring program, developed by the Construction Sector Council (CSC), and piloted in Saskatchewan last fall, is being lauded by construction industry leaders as the right tool for closing the skills gap that could result from an exodus of experienced, older workers.
“The question we had to address is how will the industry train the next generation?” says CSC Executive Director George Gritziotis. “And since 80% of training takes place on the job, an effective mentoring program will go a long way toward achieving that goal.
“When it comes to construction, nothing can replace on-the-job experience,” adds Paul McLellan, the head of Saskatchewan’s apprenticeship commission. “The mentorship program allows for the transfer of skills, in a systemic way, from one generation of workers to the next. It is relevant to the needs of today’s construction workforce, and easy to put into practice in the workplace.”
McLellan, the CEO of Alliance Energy, says “the benefit of the program is the connection formed between the individuals involved. As with any teacher/student relationship, if properly done, this bond will last forever and provide knowledge transfer through generations.”
The Manitoba Building and Construction Trades Council has been sharing the learner’s handbook, modules, mentor’s handbook and other materials with all sectors of the industry. “The feedback from contractors, workers – everyone really – has been totally positive,” says Executive Director David Martin. “The program can harness valuable skills and knowledge – it’s the right solution at the right time for the construction industry.”
The mentorship program will be rolled out to key stakeholders in the Canadian construction industry over the next few weeks. For details on this and other CSC initiatives, visit the CSC website at www.csc-ca.org.
The Construction Sector Council (CSC) is a partnership between government, business and labour that works to find solutions to human resource issues affecting the construction workforce.
For more information, contact:
Rosemary Sparks
Construction Sector Council
Tel.: 905-852-9186
Funded by the Government of Canada's Sector Council Program.
TOP PRINT
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Construction withstands impact of recession |
January 11, 2010
OTTAWA – Canada’s construction industry is emerging from the recession relatively unscathed, thanks to its pre-recession record levels of investment and the more recent government stimulus initiatives.
A preview of the Construction Sector Council’s (CSC) 2010-2018 scenario-based forecast says that though building and employment decreased from October 2008 to July 2009, employment has been rising since August. This will likely continue because of new infrastructure projects, renovation and maintenance work, and strengthening housing starts.
“Construction didn’t take the recessionary hit that some other industries took, and is well-positioned to lead other sectors out of the recession,” says George Gritziotis, Executive Director of the Construction Sector Council. “Government infrastructure projects provided a buffer to offset losses the industry would have felt,” he says. The 2010 CSC scenario assumes that 20 percent of the stimulus spending takes place in 2009, 50 percent in 2010 and the remaining 30 percent in 2011.
The preview shows a varied employment picture across the country, with Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia reporting the greatest decrease in employment in 2009. At the same time, driven by major industrial, engineering and infrastructure projects, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador recorded employment gains over the first 10 months of 2009. Construction investment declined by less than 10 percent in 2009 and will rebound in 2010, surpassing the peak reached in 2008.
“Although construction has experienced a slowdown in varying degrees in some areas of the country, given the promise of the stimulus and the overall strengthening of the economy, it should regain momentum,” says Tim Flood, CSC Business Co-chair and President of John Flood and Sons, a construction company active in commercial, industrial, institutional and
residential construction in New Brunswick.
Engineering construction in roads, bridges and other heavy construction and commercial and institutional building sectors where employment growth is strong through 2010 will create jobs and strong labour markets for a number of trades. These include concrete finishers, non-residential construction estimators and managers, crane operators, heavy equipment operators and mechanics, ironworkers, trades helpers and labourers, and welders.
The oil sands and related development in Alberta and key utility sector projects will be driving work in Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba for several key trades, including construction millwrights, pipefitters, sheet metal workers, ironworkers and welders.
“Recruiting and training need to continue to be top priorities,” says Bob Blakely, CSC Labour Co-chair and Canadian Director of the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO. “We are working to meet the challenge of having enough skilled workers who can shift from a region of under-employment to one where opportunities are more plentiful.”
The Construction Sector Council (CSC) – a partnership between labour, business and government – is a national not-for-profit organization committed to the development of a highly skilled workforce that will support the future needs of Canada’s construction industry.
The CSC’s annual Construction Looking Forward national and regional scenario-based forecasts provide colleges, labour and industry with accurate information on labour supply and demand to support the future needs of the construction industry in Canada.
Visit www.csc-ca.org to read the 2010-2018 preview of Construction Looking Forward.
For more information, contact:
Rosemary Sparks
Construction Sector Council
Tel.: 905-852-9186
Funded by the Government of Canada's Sector Council Program.
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