The construction workforce has decreased about seven per cent since August 2019. PHOTO: Marbury/Getty Images
The Canadian economy created nearly a quarter million new jobs in August, continuing to regain ground lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest Labour Force Survey from Statistics Canada.
In construction, however, employers hit pause after months of strong rehiring. The industry added 4,500 jobs in August, increasing its workforce 0.3 per cent. This compares to gains of 2.5, 6.7 and 6.3 per cent in July, June and May, respectively — translating to nearly 200,000 jobs.
Despite the slower August, the building sector has weathered the pandemic far better than most. After considerable April job losses, staffing levels in the industry have returned to about 91 per cent of their pre-COVID-19 highs.
Year over year, the number of workers employed in construction is down 103,700, or seven per cent, from August 2019.
