EDMONTON HOUSING START JITTERS // CONSTRUCTION
“THERE ARE MANY REASONS, INCLUDING THE PRACTICAL REALITY THAT INCREASED ACTIVITY IN THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS ARE DRAWING TRADESPEOPLE AWAY FROM THE RESIDENTIAL SECTOR,” SAYS PARKER.
a bit of an east vs. west dilemma, with prairie populations like Alberta skewing younger than Ontario, and being more advantageous – but in no way a cinch – for recruiting construction labour. “At the moment, the Alberta housing construction labour supply is tight,” says Terry Parker, executive director of the Building Trades of Alberta (BTA), an organization who coordinates and promotes the interests of 18 Alberta local trade unions whose 60,000 members work in the residential, commercial, industrial construction, maintenance and fabrication industries. “There are many reasons, including the practical reality that increased activity in the industrial and commercial markets are drawing tradespeople away from the residential sector. In Edmonton, as well as Calgary, more and more contractors are utilizing foreign workers for many of their projects. Changing and improving this situation will require a combined effort of contractors, various levels of government and unions working to attract more individuals towards careers in the skilled trades,” he notes. “Our industry must focus on both recruiting and retaining youth and under-represented groups into the trades.” Bruno agrees about what it will take to ease the Edmonton construction labour crunch. She suggests, at least for the immediate future, Edmonton may have to “build smarter” and change things up a bit. “Many new projects are shifting from single-family to multifamily housing, improving the number of houses per unit of labour, by using labour more efficiently. This will reduce the
demand for labour and help with the current labour shortage. In the long-term, recruitment efforts for trade schools, expanding enrollment and encouraging more qualified and educated tradespeople to move to Edmonton can alleviate the pressures we are facing. There are also many scholarships available to help drive recruitment and enrollment, such as the BILD Alberta Scholarships for Construction Careers and the Edmonton Region Homebuilders Charity.” Many construction experts and builders agree that, while it may seem vague and superficial, a blue collar vs. white collar/gig economy job perception and image change about construction trades is also long overdue. Parker emphasizes the importance of being proactive. “We are confident that 2024 will bring increased activity in all sectors of the construction market. If handled correctly, we will have a new generation of tradespeople entering the industry. But it is important to show both tradespeople and the general public that a trade is not just a job, but a career. We hope to see a parity of esteem that exists in many European countries.” In Edmonton, as in most major Canadian housing markets, skilled labour is the lifeblood of construction and the future of Edmonton housing starts. “We are excited to celebrate 70 years as an association next year,” Bruno adds. “The City of Edmonton Zoning Bylaw Renewal moved to Public Hearing last month and we are eagerly waiting to see how this will impact our industry. “With our population increasing, affordable, high-quality housing will continue to be in demand. We could see interest rates decline, driving a solid year for the residential construction industry. We remain committed to keeping our economic advantage as one of the most affordable cities across Canada.”
ABOVE: TERRY PARKER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BUILDING TRADES OF ALBERTA (BTA).
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NOVEMBER 2023 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM