Rise of Women in Construction

Most industries saw a lull throughout the pandeic and construction was no exception – however construction in Canada still managed to contribute $137 billion to the Canadian GDP throughout 2020. Forecasts predicted 2021 to be a recovery year with only a 2.5% growth rate, but the industry showed strength and ended up with a 6.5% growth rate.

With continued growth – even through a pandemic – women are gradually claiming their space among the historically male-dominated industry.

With the growing number of women in construction, companies need to simultaneously invest in creating safe spaces for women to work. From inclusive PPE to proportional representation among leadership, construction needs women in the workforce, and they need to create a space where women feel valued and included.

Buildforce Canada estimates a need of more than 300,000 new workers across Canada over the next decade – 100,000 in Ontario alone. The skills women in construction are bringing to the table differ from their male counterparts. In 2021, 27% of construction’s female workforce worked directly on construction projects – the remainder holding office and management roles. This makes sense considering that women are more likely than men to have college or university qualifications, but less likely to have a trades certificate. Of the 1 million tradespeople employed in Canada, women made up only 5% of the on-site construction workforce.

That said, we could see more women in trades in the future. According to Stats Canada, the number of women registering for apprenticeship programs have steadily grown for almost a decade. The largest registration growth for women in trades were in welding, automotive services, and machinists.

Diversity and inclusion are critical factors in most construction recruitment strategies now. Companies see the current labour shortage, and the larger looming one with a wave of a retiring workforce, and are prioritizing building a sustainable workforce – of men and women.

The shortage of skilled trades has already started. Expanding the historical recruitment pool to include women and other underrepresented groups is the best way to ensure Canada’s construction labour needs are met.