Federal government ramps up efforts to recruit workers for construction, transportation, and manufacturing industries
The Government of Canada has launched the next phase of its National Skilled Trades advertising campaign, aiming to encourage more Canadians to pursue careers in skilled trades amid a growing labour shortage.
The initiative, announced by Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Steven MacKinnon, seeks to recruit and train workers for in-demand fields such as construction, transportation, manufacturing, and services.
With high retirement rates and demographic shifts creating significant gaps in the skilled trades workforce, the federal government is ramping up efforts to attract new workers.
The construction industry alone needs to recruit 351,800 workers by 2033, according to BuildForce Canada, with retirements expected to account for 263,400 job vacancies – roughly 21% of the 2023 construction labour force.
The federal government has committed nearly $1 billion annually to apprenticeship programs, including: up to $20,000 in interest-free financial support, employment Insurance benefits for apprentices during technical training, and tax credits and direct funding for apprenticeship programs.
Last year, $9 million was invested to bring in 1,500 internationally trained tradespeople, particularly in construction, to help offset labour shortages. Funding was directed to the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) to help foreign-trained workers obtain Red Seal certification in fields such as carpentry, welding, and industrial mechanics.
The campaign will focus on youth and young adults. An interactive exhibit will tour high schools and shopping malls across Canada, providing hands-on experiences that showcase different trades and career options.
The experiential exhibit is scheduled to visit cities including Moncton, Halifax, Charlottetown, Timmins, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Calgary between February 10 and March 23.
The campaign comes as Canada struggles with a housing supply crisis, which has been exacerbated by low builder sentiment and labour shortages. According to the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) Q3 Housing Market Index, builder confidence remains low, with the single-family HMI dropping to 27.4 and the multi-family index falling to 28.5, both near record lows.
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The government has acknowledged the need for more construction workers to accelerate housing projects and infrastructure development. In November 2024, the federal government announced plans to add 1,500 skilled construction workers to its labour force, aiming to boost housing development and support the struggling sector.
"Our country's greatest resource is its people, and this campaign will spread awareness about the rewarding career opportunities available to Canadians," MacKinnon said in a Press release.
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