Construction industry battles labour shortage, lack of diversity: Association

With demand growing for new homes and infrastructure projects, construction companies are finding it increasingly difficult to find enough workers.

The number of construction workers has been slowly declining for several years, made worse by the pandemic. When construction shut down, many workers opted for retirement or simply chose different careers. That has left many companies struggling to fill their rosters which has led to some delays in getting projects completed.

That’s bad news for municipalities looking to get new homes built amid the ongoing housing crisis.

The Canadian Home Builders Association has estimated nearly one-quarter of residential construction workers plan to retire in the next decade. And experts say there aren’t enough people in line to fill those jobs.

“This is a crisis, as it relates to talent,” Jeff MacIntyre, President of Grand River Construction Association said to The Mike Farwell Show.

He added, “This has been an older male-dominated industry for a number of years. Only roughly 5 per cent of the workforce is women. So, it (the industry) has been navigating its own demise for a number of years.”

MacIntyre said his organization is actively looking at ways to diversify its workforce and make it more attractive to different demographics, particularly women. He said other industries have been able to do it and construction should be no different.

MacIntyre believes there also needs to be a shift in attitudes towards skilled trades. Traditionally, they were almost discouraged and painted as an industry for people who couldn’t cut it in more academic fields.

“I think the education system, the guidance councillors did a lot of people a disservice.”

The recent federal budget included several measures to encourage more people to choose trades. Things like apprenticeship opportunities and summer jobs programs that include the housing sector.

MacIntyre said a recruitment strategy being used is simply exposing more people to the math.

“A starting worker in the construction industry is making $50,000 to $75,000 a year. A first-year BA student is starting $30,000 in the whole.”

He adds, “They are very good careers. People love this industry. You build things and think we’re going to start pulling people from other industries. We’re going to diversify the workforce so that it’s representative of the population.”