When it comes to recruiting new talent to build the housing that will be needed in future, the residential construction industry is facing its share of challenges.
BuildForce Canada reckons that to build the 3.5 million additional housing units that are needed this decade over and above what is normally built, the residential construction industry will need to grow its labour force by 83 per cent above 2023 levels – to just under 1.04 million workers.
Nationally, the construction industry will be short 85,500 workers by 2033 if we don’t get our act together.
In the not-too-distance future we could be facing a significant shortage of skilled trades – a problem that threatens to derail much-needed new housing construction.
To say that Canada’s construction labour markets are already operating under challenging conditions is the understatement of the year.
Which is why it is so critical to let young people – women in particular – know early on in life that a career in the construction trades is a viable, good-paying job option.
A lot of youth do not desire to go to college or university and a career in the trades might be just what they need.
Stigma still exists
Unfortunately, there’s still a stigma associated with being in the trades. It’s critical that we end that perception and make sure young people know early on in life that they can earn while they learn.
In Ontario, the government has introduced a new plan to fast-track teens who want to get into a career in the trades. The program is scheduled to start this fall for teens who want a trades career. From the perspective of the residential construction sector, it couldn’t happen fast enough.
Secondary school students who want into the trades will be able to spend up to 80 per cent of their time on training and 20 per cent on academics. The idea, of course, is that the initiative will make it easier for teens to transition into the trades.
The Focused Apprenticeship Skills Training program, as it’s known, builds on the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program. It will allow students in Grades 11 and 12 to participate in apprenticeship learning through co-operative education credits while completing high school.
Between eight and 11 credits can be earned from the trades training through co-op placements. Students will still have to earn mandatory math and English credits in Grade 11, and English in Grade 12.
Those who finish their apprenticeships will be able to apply to graduate high school as mature students. Graduates will receive a seal on their Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
This is an important initiative as it allows students to get into the trades while ensuring they remain connected to their school.
In light of the looming shortage, programs like this are critical.
Numbers still low
The number of recruits – especially women – coming into the system is simply too low. There has been an uptick. In Ontario, the number of women working in the skilled trades in construction increased by 66 per cent over the last decade. From 2022-23 to 2023-24, the province recorded a 29-per-cent increase in new female apprentice registrations in the construction trades.
So, we are heading in the right direction but not fast enough. Presently in Ontario, women comprise just five per cent of the workforce in construction.
Another statistic paints a grim picture. Sadly, about one-third women leave the construction sector after the first year of their apprenticeship.
Barriers still exist
It may seem like a small thing, but just having a separate washroom for women can make a big difference in recruiting them to the trades.
In Ontario, under proposed legislation put forward called the Working for Workers Five Act, 2024, employers will be required to have clean on-site washrooms. Menstrual products will also have to be provided on larger and longer-term construction projects. A year ago, the government mandated that on-site washrooms specifically for women must be made available.
To ensure women enter the construction workforce, we must ensure the basics such as clean facilities are available. A 2022 survey by the Ontario Building and Construction Tradeswomen identified washroom facilities as number four on the list of things to make the construction industry more appealing.
Past research has shown that other barriers also exist for women, such as lack of support when choosing a career path, as well as adequate mentorship, onboarding and ancillary supports.
We are turning a corner but more needs to be done. We must continue to embrace improvements and continue the dialogue to meaningfully increase the number of women in construction trades. Legislative fixes that enshrine existing best practices should be considered.
We can not afford to miss this opportunity.
Richard Lyall is president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON). He has represented the building industry in Ontario since 1991. Contact him at media@rescon.com.
