Skilled Trades

Canada has a productivity problem. Labour productivity growth—the amount of output produced per hour worked—has stalled. The Canadian economy’s labour productivity at the end of 2023 was around the same as it was in 2017. This is the second time that Canada’s productivity growth has been notably weaker than the United States’ in recent decades, with the first occurring between 2003 and 2012.

Stakeholders in British Columbia are exploring the potential of mass timber, an engineered wood product used as a building material, to drive economic growth in a number of industries. A thriving mass timber sector could help generate novel opportunities for many forestry communities (that are currently experiencing a decline), as well as help build sustainable housing in the province.

These reports provide insight into the skills needs for workers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan’s growing plant-based protein industry, especially around value-added agricultural manufacturing, and what steps can be taken by government, industry, and educational institutions to support workers.

In this report, in collaboration with Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship we reflect on the evidence and next steps needed to support the Canadian construction sector succeed and adapt to change in the years to come.