Amidst the clatter of machinery and the blueprint of skylines, Canada's construction sector isn't just pouring concrete—it's building a nation with a workforce of over 1.4 million and contributing $122.4 billion to our GDP, yet it's simultaneously navigating a labyrinth of challenges from a looming labor shortage to a critical push for safety and diversity.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the Canadian construction sector employed 1,482,300 workers, representing 7.4% of total national employment
- As of Q4 2023, construction employment grew by 2.1% year-over-year, adding 30,400 jobs primarily in Ontario and British Columbia
- Women accounted for 13.2% of the construction workforce in 2022, up from 11.8% in 2018, with highest representation in administrative roles
- The construction industry contributed $122.4 billion to Canada's GDP in 2022, or 6.9% of total GDP
- Construction investment reached $145.7 billion in 2023, up 4.2% from 2022 nominal terms
- Residential construction accounted for 52.3% of total sector GDP in 2022
- Total construction put-in-place value was $152.3 billion in 2023
- Residential building permits issued totaled $112.4 billion in 2023, up 8.7% yoy
- Single-family housing starts reached 88,600 units in 2023, down 1% from 2022
- There were 68 lost-time injuries per 100 full-time workers in construction in 2022
- Fatalities in construction totaled 128 in 2022, 24% of all workplace deaths
- Fall from heights caused 32% of construction fatalities in 2021-2023 average
- Construction expected to add 319,000 jobs by 2032, net gain after retirements
- Housing starts projected at 235,000-250,000 units annually 2024-2026
- Non-residential investment to grow 3.5% annually to 2028, reaching $95B
Canada's construction industry is growing but faces significant labor and safety challenges ahead.
Construction Volumes and Projects
- Total construction put-in-place value was $152.3 billion in 2023
- Residential building permits issued totaled $112.4 billion in 2023, up 8.7% yoy
- Single-family housing starts reached 88,600 units in 2023, down 1% from 2022
- Multi-family starts hit 159,200 units in 2023, record high driven by condos
- Total housing starts were 247,800 units in 2023, 3.3% above 2022
- Non-residential permits valued at $45.2 billion in 2023, up 6.4%
- Engineering construction put-in-place was $48.7 billion in 2023, including roads and utilities
- Ontario issued residential permits worth $48.9 billion in 2023, 43% national share
- Completions of apartment buildings totaled 25,400 units in 2023
- Highway and street construction investment was $14.2 billion in 2023
- Toronto CMA saw 62,300 housing starts in 2023, highest in Canada
- Vancouver apartment starts were 28,900 units in 2023
- Calgary single-detached starts numbered 10,200 in 2023, up 15%
- Montreal total starts reached 32,100 units in 2023
- Institutional construction permits $12.8 billion nationally in 2023
- Oil and gas pipeline construction value $8.4 billion in 2023
- Renovation spending estimated at $78 billion in 2023, 51% of total residential
- Edmonton saw 14,500 total housing starts in 2023
- Quebec residential investment $32.4 billion in 2023 put-in-place
- BC non-residential construction $18.9 billion in 2023
- Retail trade building permits $4.2 billion in 2023, down 5%
- Water supply and sewage projects $6.7 billion invested 2023
- Ottawa-Gatineau starts 12,400 units in 2023
- Winnipeg housing starts 8,900 units 2023
- Power and communication projects $10.3 billion in 2023
Construction Volumes and Projects Interpretation
Even as Canadians famously stack condos like Lego bricks to reach record multi-family highs, the true foundation of the industry reveals itself as a sprawling, $152.3 billion juggling act—simultaneously patching potholes, upgrading sewers, renovating our existing homes, and desperately trying to build enough new walls to live within.
Economic and Financial Metrics
- The construction industry contributed $122.4 billion to Canada's GDP in 2022, or 6.9% of total GDP
- Construction investment reached $145.7 billion in 2023, up 4.2% from 2022 nominal terms
- Residential construction accounted for 52.3% of total sector GDP in 2022
- Non-residential construction GDP was $58.2 billion in 2022, growing 3.1% real terms
- Engineering construction subsector contributed $32.1 billion to GDP in 2022
- Sector revenues totaled $408 billion in 2022 for reporting firms
- Construction firms numbered 127,800 in 2022, with average revenue per firm of $3.2 million
- Profit margins in construction averaged 4.7% in 2022, down from 5.2% in 2021 due to material costs
- Ontario construction GDP was $48.3 billion in 2022, 39% of national total
- Material costs rose 12.4% in construction in 2022, impacting 28% of project budgets
- Sector exports of construction services were $4.2 billion in 2022
- Government spending on construction was $42.6 billion in 2023, 29% of total investment
- Private investment in non-residential construction hit $68.4 billion in 2022
- Construction productivity grew 1.2% in 2022, lagging overall economy at 1.8%
- Quebec construction GDP stood at $24.1 billion in 2022, 19.7% of national
- Bankruptcy filings among construction firms rose 15% to 1,240 in 2023
- Average project value for large firms was $15.6 million in 2022
- BC construction GDP contribution was 6.8% or $17.2 billion in 2022
- Wage share of construction value added was 42.3% in 2022
- Institutional building construction investment was $12.4 billion in 2023
- Sector capital expenditures totaled $8.7 billion in 2022
- Alberta construction GDP fell 2.1% to $14.9 billion in 2022 amid energy transition
- Multi-unit residential starts drove 35% of housing investment growth in 2023
- Construction R&D spending was $1.2 billion in 2022, 0.3% of revenues
- Commercial building investment declined 1.8% to $18.2 billion in 2023
- Industrial construction boomed with $22.1 billion invested in 2023, up 12%
Economic and Financial Metrics Interpretation
While wrestling with soaring material costs and razor-thin margins, Canada's construction industry still managed to build nearly 7% of the nation's GDP, proving that even when the foundation is shaking, the show—and the heavy lifting—must go on.
Employment and Workforce
- In 2023, the Canadian construction sector employed 1,482,300 workers, representing 7.4% of total national employment
- As of Q4 2023, construction employment grew by 2.1% year-over-year, adding 30,400 jobs primarily in Ontario and British Columbia
- Women accounted for 13.2% of the construction workforce in 2022, up from 11.8% in 2018, with highest representation in administrative roles
- In 2022, 24.5% of construction workers were aged 55 or older, highlighting an aging workforce issue
- Apprentices numbered 84,200 in construction trades in 2023, comprising 12.3% of the skilled trades workforce
- Indigenous workers made up 4.8% of the construction labor force in 2021, with higher concentrations in Western provinces
- Construction unemployment rate stood at 5.6% in 2023, lower than the national average of 5.8%
- In 2022, 156,400 construction workers were self-employed, accounting for 11.2% of the sector's total employment
- Quebec's construction sector had 244,100 employees in 2023, the highest provincial figure at 8.9% of provincial employment
- New entrants to construction trades totaled 45,600 in 2022, but 28,900 retirees left, creating a net labor gap
- 68.4% of construction workers held a trade certificate or diploma in 2021
- Visible minorities represented 22.1% of construction employees in major cities in 2021 census data
- Average hourly wage in construction was $32.45 in 2023, 15% above the national average
- Part-time construction workers numbered 92,700 in 2022, or 6.5% of total employment
- Immigrants comprised 27.3% of the construction workforce in 2021, with recent immigrants at 8.2%
- In 2023, Ontario construction employment reached 577,200, up 3.2% from 2022
- Youth aged 15-24 made up 9.1% of construction workers in 2022
- Unionized workers in construction were 42.6% of the workforce in 2022, highest among industries
- BC construction jobs grew by 4.5% to 227,800 in 2023, driven by residential building
- Persons with disabilities represented 5.2% of construction employees in 2022
- Alberta's construction workforce was 193,400 in 2023, down 1.8% due to oil slowdown
- 76.2% of construction managers had postsecondary education in 2021
- Manitoba construction employment hit 48,900 in 2023, up 2.9%
- Construction laborers numbered 312,500 in 2022, the largest occupational group
- Saskatchewan had 52,300 construction workers in 2023, 9.1% of provincial employment
- Atlantic provinces combined for 112,400 construction jobs in 2023
- Carpenters employed 142,800 across Canada in 2022
- Electricians in construction totaled 98,700 in 2023
- Plumbers and pipefitters numbered 72,400 in 2022
- Heavy equipment operators were 56,200 strong in construction in 2023
Employment and Workforce Interpretation
While the Canadian construction industry is literally building the nation, it’s also trying to build its own future—navigating an aging workforce, a persistent gender imbalance, and a fragile labor pipeline, all while trying to hold up the roof with a workforce that's more diverse, older, and better paid than you might have guessed.
Safety and Regulations
- There were 68 lost-time injuries per 100 full-time workers in construction in 2022
- Fatalities in construction totaled 128 in 2022, 24% of all workplace deaths
- Fall from heights caused 32% of construction fatalities in 2021-2023 average
- 42% of construction workers reported safety training in past year in 2023 survey
- Musculoskeletal injuries accounted for 38% of lost-time claims in construction 2022
- Compliance rate with OHS regulations was 87% in federal construction sites 2023
- Ontario construction injury rate 2.8 per 100 workers in 2022
- Quebec CNESST reported 12,400 construction accidents in 2022
- Silica exposure regulations updated in 2023 affecting 15% of sites
- Mental health claims rose 22% in construction 2019-2022
- BC WorkSafeBC fined 156 construction firms $4.2M for violations in 2023
- Crane incidents totaled 47 in 2022, 12 serious
- PPE usage was 94% compliant on large projects 2023 audit
- Alberta OHS violations 2,340 in construction 2022
- Heat-related incidents up 18% in summer 2023 construction sites
- Scaffolding failures caused 9 fatalities 2020-2023
- Manitoba construction injury frequency 1.9 per 100 in 2022
- Trenching collapses 14 incidents yearly average
- COVID-19 cases in construction 45,200 cumulative to 2023
- Electrical hazards led to 11% of injuries in 2022
- National average workers' comp premiums $2.45 per $100 payroll in construction 2023
- Fatigue-related incidents 22% on night shifts construction 2023 study
- Asbestos abatement projects numbered 4,200 in 2022
- Saskatchewan construction safety inspections 18,500 in 2023
- Vehicle incidents 28% of construction injuries 2022
- Atlantic provinces average injury rate 2.1 per 100 workers 2022
- Lead exposure regulations tightened for 2,100 sites in 2023
Safety and Regulations Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim and galling portrait of an industry where, despite the high-visibility vests, the most glaringly obvious safety priority often seems to be a comfortable 87% compliance rate while workers are quite literally falling through the cracks.
Trends and Future Projections
- Construction expected to add 319,000 jobs by 2032, net gain after retirements
- Housing starts projected at 235,000-250,000 units annually 2024-2026
- Non-residential investment to grow 3.5% annually to 2028, reaching $95B
- Labor shortage to peak at 60,000 workers in 2026, easing to 29,000 by 2032
- Prefab/modular construction share to rise from 5% to 12% by 2030
- Digital tech adoption in projects to reach 65% by 2027
- Green building certifications expected to double to 25% of projects by 2030
- Infrastructure spending forecast $180B annually 2024-2034 via Investing in Canada Plan
- Residential renovations to average $85B yearly 2024-2028
- BIM usage projected to 80% of large projects by 2026
- Net-zero ready buildings to comprise 40% new construction by 2030
- Construction GDP growth 2.8% annually 2024-2028 forecast
- Immigration to fill 45% of new construction jobs 2023-2032
- Electrification projects to surge 15% yearly to 2030
- Ontario housing supply target 1.5M units by 2031
- Automation/robotics in construction to 20% task coverage by 2030
- Quebec infrastructure deficit $80B, planned $35B spend 2024-2034
- BC construction growth 4.1% annual to 2028
- Supply chain digitization to cut delays 25% by 2027
- Affordable housing builds 100,000 units targeted 2023-2028 federally
- AI predictive maintenance to save $2B annually by 2030
- Alberta energy transition projects $50B pipeline to 2030
- Modular housing to meet 30% of Indigenous housing needs by 2030
- National productivity gap to narrow 1.5% annual with tech by 2030
- Transit infrastructure $100B committed 2024-2034
Trends and Future Projections Interpretation
Canada's construction industry is scripting a high-stakes, multi-talent production where we're desperately trying to build more with less, racing to train and import workers while retrofitting everything from our tools to our buildings, all to avoid the tragicomedy of a nation that can plan a subway station with AI but can't find a carpenter to assemble it.
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