Canada’s fastest growing construction jobs and what they pay

Canada’s construction industry has seen steady growth over the last several years, and new data suggests the expansion will continue throughout 2014. According to CareerBuilder Canada and Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI), employment in the construction industry has grown by 12 per cent from 2011 to 2014, adding more than 102,000 jobs and outpacing 4 per cent growth for all jobs. To help workers determine where the opportunities lie within the construction industry, CareerBuilder and EMSI put together a list of the fastest-growing construction jobs in 2013-14.

1) Administrative officers:

• 5.1 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $21.63

2) Contractors and supervisors, heavy construction equipment crews:

• 4.4 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $29.85

3) Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations:

• 4.3 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $34.58

4) Welders and related machine operators:

• 3.8 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $24.11

5) Residential and commercial installers and servicers:

• 3.8 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $18.51

6) Truck drivers:

• 3.5 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $20.29

7) Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers:

• 3.4 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $32.78

8) Construction trades helpers and labourers:

• 3.4 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $19.09

9) Construction managers:

• 3.2 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $35.42

10) Heavy equipment operators (except crane):

• 3.1 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $25.48

11) Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers:

• 3 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $28.38

12) Construction estimators:

• 2.7 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $29.99

13) Plumbers:

• 2.7 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $25.86

14) Electricians (except industrial and power system):

• 2.7 per cent increase
• Median hourly earnings – $27.99

Job Growth by Region

The construction industry has grown across all ten provinces, though it remains slightly more concentrated in some. The provinces that saw the highest growth in construction jobs in 2013-14 were:

• Newfoundland and Labrador: 5.2 per cent
• Alberta: 4.1 per cent
• Saskatchewan: 3.9 per cent
• Manitoba: 3.2 per cent
• British Columbia: 2.6 per cent
• Quebec: 2.5 per cent
• Ontario: 2.5 per cent
• Nova Scotia: 2.1 per cent
• New Brunswick: 1.4 per cent
• Prince Edward Island: 0.3 per cent