Though Sudbury's construction industry is expecting another busy year, its growth is tempered by looming shortages of skilled tradespeople.
“We are expanding constantly and it will be another record year,” said Denis Shank, executive director of the Sudbury Construction Association. “But we are dealing with a worker shortage right now.”
When bidding on construction projects in the North, companies must now first ensure they have the skilled workforce in place in order to complete the work.
“That's the first time this has happened,” Shank said. “In the past, companies would bid and then get the workers they need. Now they have to make sure the employees are in place before they bid.”
That situation may be exacerbated with Vale's $2-billion environmental upgrade at its smelter. The Clean AER (atmospheric emissions reduction) project will require about eight million person-hours of additional labour, with 1,300 workers on site during peak construction. The project is expected to begin in April and be completed near the end of 2015.
With several huge projects underway in the North, such as mine construction and Ontario Power Generation's Lower Mattagami project which is adding generating units at four existing stations, companies are jockeying for employees.
It may mean looking outside the region, other provinces or other countries to look for skilled workers.
In Sudbury, the carpenters' union brought in more than 1,000 people from other areas of the province in the past year to work on projects.
Anthony Nutt, president of the Sudbury Construction Association, said apprenticeship programs have worked well for his own construction company, but feeder schools have not paid attention to the shortage of skilled tradespeople for many years.
“High schools are beginning to realize that it is a problem but the shortage exists now,” he said. “The students need to know the trades offer a great future. We have to start talking to the parents and make them realize it isn't that bad to be an electrician or a carpenter.”
The association is investing time and money into reaching students to get them to start thinking of career choices and to consider the trades.
“We haven't had a lot of young people in the last 15 years or so coming into the trades. They don't see it as viable. We are trying to rebrand the trades and start calling it gold collar and not blue collar,” Shank said.
Efforts are also being made to attract more women and Aboriginals to the trades.
In a forecast, the Construction Sector Council said steady employment gains in the industry are strongest in the North and the GTA, and are expected for the next nine years. However, it warns it will be challenged to meet its skilled labour requirements, especially at a time when the province will be feeling the impact of aging baby boomers.
“We are finding that many older workers are not retiring as fast as we thought, so they are staying and mentoring the young. And employers are happy to have them stay and have that experience,” Shank said.
The Sudbury Construction Association has close to 300 numbered companies as members, including those outside the area. Those companies represent about 13,000 to 15,000 employees, covering a multitude of trades.
“The construction industry is easily the largest employer in Sudbury,” he said. “And the forecast for this year is that there will be a huge influx of workers from all over Ontario coming here, depending on what companies are successful in bidding for the major projects.”
There has been an increase in construction-based companies setting up shop in Sudbury and more are expected.
“There are multiple advantages for being here. We are in a good location geographically, with a direct artery to Toronto and at the crossroads with Hwy. 17,” Shank said. “There are great opportunities in Sudbury and the North.”
