Construction labour needs in all regions of Québec

The number of people working in the construction industry reached a record high in 2020, with 177,187 workers carrying out 162.1 million hours of work. These are significant numbers, especially given that the Covid-19 pandemic led to a total work stoppage in spring 2020.

The CCQ has just unveiled the Regional Outlook for the Construction Industry 2021-2025, a series of 10 booklets that together paint a portrait of the construction labour needs in each region from now to 2025. The report shows that in the medium term, the number of workers will remain high, with the industry employing around 180,000 people, which is slightly higher than in 2020. Consequently, for all construction employees, career prospects in the medium term are excellent.

Despite the Covid-induced slowdown the industry saw in 2020, the search for new talent has remained a major concern for construction employers struggling to find workers. There is significant demand for new workers in almost all trades and occupations. Furthermore, there are currently not enough graduates to meet the needs of the labour market in a number of trades. In the medium term, the industry will need an average of about 13,000 new employees a year until 2025, and up to 15,000 in peak periods. 

Overall, career prospects in the construction industry are excellent in every region. Activity on construction sites will remain strong, the current supply of workers is low, and the labour pool in certain trades is an aging one. 

To find out about prospects in each region