July 23, 2008

Labour Migration

Saskatchewan’s skilled trades workers head home

More skilled trades workers are moving back to Saskatchewan to help the construction industry keep pace with record construction activity, according to the latest forecast by the Construction Sector Council.

“Saskatchewan is now a major draw in the fierce Canada-wide competition for skilled labour,” said Michael Fougere, Saskatchewan Construction Association president. “With more residents coming back, new immigrants coming in, and apprenticeship programs on the rise, the construction industry is doing everything possible to meet the challenges created by this construction boom.”

The information is contained in the Construction Sector Council’s (CSC) fourth annual edition of Construction Looking Forward, a detailed forecast of labour market trends from 2008 to 2016 for Saskatchewan.

The report shows that since 2001, Saskatchewan’s construction workforce has grown twice as fast as the overall provincial labour force at 11 per cent.

Over the next few years, construction employment will increase by 14 per cent or 3,800 workers.

Still another 4,000 workers will be required between now and 2016 to keep pace with retiring baby boomers.

“We’re seeing more residential and non residential projects, and a shift to big resource based industrial and engineering projects,” said Sid Matthews, president of the CLR Construction Labour Relations Association of Saskatchewan Inc. “With more work than workers we have to compete with other provinces for skilled people in just about every construction trade.”

Manufacturing investment in Saskatchewan is at an all time high. Several projects are underway or scheduled, including ethanol and food processing plants as well as potash and uranium mine expansions. They point to a need for new workers.

“Apprenticeship programs should be targeted to match emerging demands and attract far more youth, women and Aboriginals,” said Terry Parker, with the Saskatchewan Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council.

JOC News Service

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