July 3, 2008

Construction Sector Council

Major engineering projects will stress Atlantic Canada’s labour supply, CSC says

St. John’s, N.L.

Major engineering and industrial construction projects in New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador will stretch Atlantic Canada’s workforce to the limit, according to the Construction Sector Council.

“We have got a record number of big projects planned or underway in the Atlantic region including a nuclear power plant, oil refinery projects, hydro and highway construction,” said Timothy Flood, President of John Flood and Sons Ltd., the oldest construction company in Canada.

“These projects require more skilled workers than we have available.”

The information is contained in the Construction Sector Council’s fourth annual edition of “Construction Looking Forward,” a detailed forecast of labour market trends from 2008 to 2016 in Atlantic Canada.

Ongoing construction activity will keep Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island busy, but replacing an older than average construction workforce will create a significant challenge towards the end of the forecast.

The report finds that Atlantic Canada will need more than 5,000 new tradespeople to meet demands for new construction.

The age of Atlantic Canada’s workforce is above the national average. As a result an unprecedented 13,600 workers are needed to replace retiring baby boomers.

Major new industrial and engineering projects will require specific skilled trades.

“To remain competitive and attract industrial development we will have to step up training and recruitment efforts to find enough skilled workers to keep up, no doubt about it,” said Dermot Cain, Canadian Director, of the International Union of Operating Engineers.

DCN News Services

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