Reviewing Canada’s construction sector in 2023 – Part 4: Labour market pressures remain
…for monthly updates on labour force data and trends, and turn to our 2024 to 2033 Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward highlight reports for forecasted labour market data across Canada….
July LFS data finds construction operating at seasonally high levels
The latest data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey (LFS) suggest that the construction industry is once again operating at a high level. LFS data for July 2024 find construction…
October’s modest employment gains driven by increases among young, and female workers
…of the change. Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey (LFS) data for construction for October 2024 finds both the labour force and employment increased by 0.6% compared to 12 months earlier….
February LFS data shows a slight rise in unemployment over the last 12 months
…in employment (+3.1%). The total industry employment rate increased from 7.8% in February 2024 to 8.0% in February 2025. The elevated unemployment numbers should be no cause for concern. Construction…
November LFS data finds employment gains limited to Western Canada as major project volume slows in Central, Atlantic regions
…(-7,600 workers, -0.5%) when compared to data from November 2024. As a result, the national construction unemployment rate reached its lowest level in more than a year – at 4.1%….
Contractions among eldest workers, females lower construction labour force statistics in December 2025
…December 2025 at lower levels than in December 2024. A contraction of 9,500 workers in the industry’s labour force more than offset a contraction of 1,500 in the number of…
January 2026 LFS finds a notable contraction in the industry’s labour force, likely due to age-related attrition
…-14,500 workers and -4.7%. Although building permit values at the close of 2025 were approximately 2% higher than at the end of 2024, Quebec experienced notable slowdowns in the volume…
BuildForce Canada’s Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward reports for 2026 to 2035 project renewed residential growth and sustained high levels of non-residential activity
…construction investment to contract in all four provinces to the end of the decade. In general, activity is stepping down from peak periods reported in 2024 and 2025, when population…
Residential construction demands slow in British Columbia to 2035, while short-term non-residential growth is expected to be significant
…mechanical trades. Although growth in new registrations have slowed since, levels remained elevated in 2024, bringing the province to a record number of registered apprentices. “It is encouraging to see…
Construction activity rises in Alberta to 2035, as non-residential growth offsets moderating residential demands
…of immigrants to Canada with skilled trades training or construction experience. New apprenticeship registrations in Alberta’s largest construction programs reached a record high in 2024, surpassing 18,000 and reflecting strong…
Construction demands rise to 2035 in Manitoba, as notable non-residential project activity is supplemented by modest residential growth
…gains in refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic, carpenter, and plumber trades. Registrations remained elevated in 2024. Program completions, however, remain below historical averages, but may rise with recent intake trends….
Construction investment rises through to 2035 in Ontario, supported by rebounding residential growth and sustained non-residential demand
…and targeting underemployed Canadians. New apprenticeship registrations in Ontario’s largest construction trade programs rose to a record level in 2024, reflecting continued growth across key trades such as industrial mechanic…