The latest construction market forecast from BuildForce Canada confirms what those of us in Ontario’s construction industry already knew: chronic labour shortages are not going away anytime soon.
While there are signs that stepped up local recruitment efforts are paying off, it’s clear government and industry must look far beyond Ontario to meet the province’s growing project demands.
For governments, industry and educators, who’ve been trying to steer more students and jobseekers to the skilled construction trades, this is an encouraging sign.
BuildForce Canada’s 2022–2027 Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward report shows the message that construction is a great career choice, is finally getting some traction.
“Recent heightened promotional and recruitment activities are bearing fruit,” according to the report. “Over the forecast period, the non-residential sector is expected to draw in more new-entrant workers under the age of 30 than it loses to retirement.”
However, even with successful recruitment initiatives, its still not enough. Not when major infrastructure projects and new housing and renovation work combined with the retirement of 13 per cent of Ontario’s construction workforce in the next six years, are likely to lead to recruitment challenges in every region of the province, according to BuildForce.
It anticipates a recruitment shortfall of roughly 18,800 workers in Ontario between now and 2026.
While industry is making headway in promoting construction careers, government must make it possible for more foreign workers to fill desperately needed construction jobs. If ever there was a time for the construction industry to welcome more newcomers, this is it.
The Progressive Contractors of Canada (PCA) is among Canadian employers who are offering jobs to Ukrainian refugees.
As Canada fast tracks applications for refugees fleeing the Russian invasion, PCA member companies are looking to help refugees fill positions on construction sites in Ontario and right across the country. It’s a way to help Ukrainian families rebuild their lives and also meet the need for skilled workers.
Over the near and longer term, immigration reform is crucial to helping Ontario ease the shortage of construction workers.
Ontario’s Labour, Training and Skills Development Minister Monte McNaughton is on the right track by calling on the federal government to double the number of immigrants from 9,000 to 18,000 each year under Ontario’s Immigrant Nominee Program.
Ontario should also have the flexibility to decide which specific skills are required. That way it can set a realistic mix of journeymen and non-journeymen applicants, based on real-time requirements.
Other measures worth consideration: raising the cap on Temporary Foreign Workers from 10 per cent to 20 per cent at all companies that build public infrastructure and housing – the kind of projects that will rejuvenate our communities.
While the Ontario government has been offering incentives for new apprentices, it will take time to counter the effects of the pandemic, which reduced in-class training and led to a drop of nearly 30 per cent in new apprenticeship registrations in 2020.
According to BuildForce, this is likely to result in a shortage of key trades from bricklayers and welders to industrial electricians.
Without question, construction is a leading industry that offers tremendous opportunity for anyone starting out their career or making a change. As industry and governments try to tap the skills of youth and underrepresented groups, opening our doors far wider to newcomers is a must to sustain and build Ontario’s construction workforce.
Karen Renkema is vice-president, Ontario of the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada. Send Industry Perspectives comments and column ideas to editor@dailycommercialnews.com.
Recent Comments
comments for this post are closed