Alberta’s construction sector is facing significant labour shortages despite recent growth, with the province needing to recruit 59,000 construction workers by 2034, according to a report released Thursday by BuildForce Canada.
Even with Alberta’s younger demographic projected to provide 43,600 first-time entrants under the age of 30, a gap of 15,400 workers will remain unfilled by 2034.
The annual Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward report highlighted a nearly 50 per cent surge in apprenticeship registrations in 2023, nearing the highest levels since 2014. Half of this growth came from construction electrician and steamfitter/pipefitter programs.
"While these numbers are encouraging, our challenge lies in boosting completion numbers, which remain below peak levels," said Bill Ferreira, executive director of BuildForce Canada.
To meet labour demands, Alberta will increasingly rely on newcomers to Canada. Nearly 574,600 immigrants are expected to settle in Alberta between 2025 and 2034, representing a crucial recruitment pool.
However, the report notes that immigrants remain underrepresented in the construction industry, making up only 19.9 per cent of Alberta’s construction workforce, compared to 28.2 per cent in the provincial workforce overall.
Efforts to increase the participation of traditionally under-represented groups are ongoing. Women accounted for seven per cent (39,140) of Alberta’s tradespeople in 2024, with 32 per cent of those directly employed on construction sites. Indigenous representation in Alberta’s construction sector was 6.6 per cent in 2023, surpassing their overall provincial labour participation rate of 5.7 per cent.
Residential construction activity is projected to peak in 2025, with housing starts expected to reach 46,400 units before moderating above 40,000 units annually thereafter. On the non-residential side, investment in industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) construction is projected to increase by more than 37 per cent by 2034, driven largely by major projects like the Calgary Arena, Calgary Arts Commons, and new healthcare and educational buildings.
However, non-residential engineering construction investments are anticipated to decline after major projects—including the Strathcona refinery expansion and Calgary and Edmonton LRT lines—pass their peak activity. Additionally, seasonal industrial maintenance work, concentrated in spring and fall, will add further pressure, particularly affecting specialized trades such as pipefitters, welders, and boilermakers, the report said.
"Although employment demands are expected to increase in Alberta across the forecast period, the province continues to benefit from a population that is younger than the national average,” Ferreira said. "That fact should help the construction sector recruit from local sources a significant proportion of those workers who are projected to retire by 2034."
The report explicitly noted its projections were developed before the emergence of potential Canada-U.S. trade tensions, cautioning that tariffs or other disruptions could significantly alter these forecasts.
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