A record 1.3 million Canadians, or 1 in 14 workers, now make their living in construction, BuildForce Canada has announced, as the country gets set to celebrate Labour Day and the contribution of its workers.
"Canada's construction industry not only builds, it maintains and repairs more than $4 trillion worth of assets, and it's our skilled workforce that makes it happen," said Rosemary Sparks, Executive Director of BuildForce Canada. "Workers are the driving force behind our industry, and we're very proud of that. We've got a lot to celebrate this Labour Day."
Canada's construction industry accounts for more than 7 percent of gross domestic product. It is one of Canada's leading and fastest growing industries, hiring 600,000 new workers since 1996. That's an employment growth rate of 86 percent.
As Canada's construction industry grows, it also becomes more specialized, requiring workers with higher levels of expertise in technologies and building systems.
"Building and maintenance is becoming more technical and complex, and that opens the field to a whole new generation of skilled workers," added Sparks. "People with math, science and technical backgrounds are increasingly in demand in our industry. There's tremendous opportunity."
With openings for more than 250,000 new construction workers to replace retiring baby boomers over the next decade, BuildForce has stepped up its efforts to attract young skilled workers. It will launch its redesigned Careers in Construction website at www.careersinconstruction.ca this fall, with more youth- and parent-friendly trade-by-trade information.
