Key to ease labour shortage: higher wages

October 3, 2018

There is a widespread concern in Canada’s construction industry about a shortage of workers and, in the United States, a recent survey found that 80 per cent of contractors said they have problem filling positions.
One B.C. residential contractor told Home BUILDER last week that it was offering up to $1,000 to anyone who could help them hire a good carpenter or a site supervisor.
But the Associated General Contractors of America said the real way to encourage more people applying for work is to pay higher wages. The labour shortage is causing contractors to offer better pay and benefits to workers, it noted.
Canadian contractors are already paying workers above the average wage, but it may have to go higher if shortages continue.
The average construction salary in Ontario is $58,885 per year or $30 per hour, according to a survey by Nuevco. This is around 1.8 times more than the median wage of the country. Entry level positions start at $41,000 while most experienced workers make up to $82,000. These results were based on 3,968 salaries extracted from job descriptions.