More attention needed around retention and developing more inclusive practices

By Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press

The construction industry is short tens of thousands of workers, and experts say a coming wave of retirements could make the problem worse even as Canada is millions of homes behind what’s needed to reach housing affordability this decade.

“That labour shortage is going to remain, and it’s only going to increase,” said Reva Bond, dean of the construction school at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.

The job vacancy rate in construction is at a record high with around 80,000 vacancies in the industry, said CIBC deputy chief economist Benjamin Tal in a recent note… The labour shortage is significantly affecting productivity in the industry, as well as creating safety concerns, said Tal.

This was echoed by a recent industry survey by construction management software company Procore, where almost 30 per cent of respondents said they have been unable to take on more projects in the past three to six months due to labour shortages.

Read the full article here (CTV) or here (@CityNewsTO).

– Adapting the Workplace Key to Retaining More Women in Trades – A Discussion with Reva Bond, SAIT’s School of Construction Dean – We spoke to Reva Bond, Dean for SAIT’s School of Construction about women in trades, the apprenticeship model, meeting labour demand, and the importance of collaboration between industry stakeholders.

– Advancing Construction’s Future Workforce One Student at a Time – As the construction industry grapples with an ongoing labour shortage, SAIT is making strides to attract more young people to the skilled trades through a variety of outreach programs to junior high and high school students as well as young adults.

– Majority of Canadian Construction Firms Express Confidence about Market Conditions: Procore Survey – Construction firms in Canada understand that digital transformation is required to overcome the labour shortage: 22 per cent of construction businesses consider themselves a digital-first business and 51 per cent are ‘well on the way’ to adopting digital formats and workflows.

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