Industry still looking to fill jobs despite signs of tight labour market easing
While inflation and workforce shortages continue to pose challenges across all sectors, the industrial, commercial, institutional, and civil (ICIC) construction industry emerged as a positive force for Canada’s economy in 2022 and continues to show signs of growth in 2023.
These gains could not be achieved without the essential contributions of its labour force, particularly eleven key occupations crucial to its operations. Although labour market tightness began easing in Q2, the current and expected demand for construction and projected future retirements continue to threaten the sustainability of the industry’s workforce.
CCA’s most recent edition of ICIC Construction Quarterly Insights reports that Canada’s GDP rose by 0.7 percent in Q1 2023, with the construction industry following suit with a 0.25 per cent increase during the same period. The residential sector experienced a decline of four per cent, which the ICIC sector helped offset through a 4.3 per cent rise in engineering and heavy construction activity.
