Recruitment difficulties have eased in Quebec’s construction industry, say employers

Recruitment difficulties in Quebec’s construction industry have eased in recent months and are no longer considered the biggest obstacle to smooth operations.

This is according to a consultation by Quebec’s construction commission (CCQ), in which 1,216 industry employees responded.

The consultation is conducted every six months by the CCQ.

In the May 2023 consultation, 60 per cent of managers surveyed reported recruitment difficulties over the past 12 months, compared to 67 per cent last fall.

Earlier, in spring 2022 and fall 2021, 72 per cent reported recruitment difficulties.

The CCQ concludes that “recruitment difficulties have eased significantly.”

“It is slightly less complex for an employer to hire an apprentice than a year ago. A 64 per cent share of employers say they have not filled all their apprentice positions; this rate was 72 per cent in spring 2022,” according to the CCQ.

OBSTACLES

In fall 2022, 65 per cent of construction employers cited hiring difficulties as the number one obstacle to their business’s smooth operation and profitability.

By spring 2023, the biggest obstacle had become issues of competence and quality of the workforce, in a proportion of 53 per cent.

Recruitment difficulties shifted to second place, while rising construction costs (materials and wages) remained in third.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 10, 2023.