StatsCan: Construction workforce shrunk this fall
The declines offset increases from earlier this year.
The construction workforce contracted last month – not the news the industry needs as Labour shortages remain one of its biggest challenges.
According to the latest data from Statistics Canada, the number of people working in construction fell by 25,000 (-1.6 per cent) in November, fully offsetting an increase recorded in October. Most of the declines were in Alberta (-13,000; -5.5 per cent) and B.C. (-9,200; -3.8 per cent).
On a year-over-year basis, employment in construction was up by 84,000 (+5.9 per cent), entirely due to gains from December 2021 to March 2022. According to the latest data from Statistics Canada, investment in building construction declined 0.6 per cent in September, largely the result of a drop in the residential sector.
Overall, employment was little changed (+10,000) in November, and the unemployment rate declined by 0.1 percentage points to 5.1 per cent.
Employment was up among women in the core working ages of 25 to 54, and declined among young men aged 15 to 24. It was little changed among the other main demographic groups. The employment rate among core-aged women reached a new record high of 81.6 per cent in November.
