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Why Canada's Skilled Trades Matter More Than Ever

Canada is about to ask more of its tradespeople than it has in a generation. Are we up for the challenge?

Devan Tremblay
By Devan Tremblay · Founder, CEO
Published

Canada is about to ask more of its tradespeople than it has in a generation. We need homes, transit lines, hospitals, power grids and pipelines built, and we need them maintained for decades after. At the same time, a huge share of the people who know how to do that work are heading into retirement.

That gap is not a crisis for you. It's an opening. If you've been thinking about becoming an electrician, a plumber, a millwright or a welder, the conditions for getting in and moving up are about as good as they have ever been. Here's what the numbers say, and how to make the most of it.

A generation of tradespeople is retiring

The federal government estimates that about 700,000 skilled trades workers are expected to retire between 2019 and 2028 (Employment and Social Development Canada). Every one of those retirements is a job, a crew lead position or a small business that someone new will need to step into.

Construction shows the scale clearly. The industry employs 1.6 million people, about one in every 13 working Canadians, and accounts for 7% of national GDP, according to BuildForce Canada's 2026–2035 outlook, released in July 2026. Between growth and retirements, the industry needs to hire roughly 306,200 workers over the coming decade.

In residential construction alone, about 135,000 workers are projected to retire by 2035. That's more than one-fifth of the sector's current workforce. Even if the industry recruits around 271,900 new workers under 30, BuildForce still projects a shortfall of up to 34,300 workers.

In plain terms: the people who train you today are the people whose jobs you'll be ready to take tomorrow.

Canada has decided to build

Retirements are only half the story. The other half is how much Canada now wants to build. Ottawa has pledged to double the pace of home construction, and launched Build Canada Homes in September 2025 as a federal agency to build and finance affordable housing at scale. A new Major Projects Office is fast-tracking large "nation-building" projects on top of that.

Deloitte's Future of Canada Centre tried to size what this means for people on job sites. Its February 2026 analysis estimates that doubling housing starts alone could require roughly 290,000 additional construction workers by 2030. Add higher public infrastructure spending and new private investment, and the total rises to between 410,000 and 520,000 extra workers. That's about a one-third increase in the construction workforce in five years, before counting retirements.

BuildForce is tracking nearly 800 major projects worth more than $500 billion, including transit, utilities, mining, hydro refurbishments, hospitals and schools. Those projects need carpenters, electricians, pipefitters, heavy equipment operators and crane operators, often at the same time.

Housing demand will rise and fall year to year. BuildForce expects new home building to soften before recovering later this decade. But the long-term direction is clear: Canada's plans depend on people who can build.

The energy shift runs on tradespeople

Whatever you think about energy policy, one thing is not in dispute: Canada is using more electricity, and someone has to wire it. Heat pumps, EV chargers, new transmission lines, hydro and nuclear refurbishments, and grid upgrades are all hands-on work.

Electricians are a good example. A 2023 study by Electricity Human Resources Canada projected about 12,000 net new electrician jobs in the five years to 2028. That's on top of more than 15,000 electricians expected to retire in the same window, as summarized by the Centre for Future Work.

The same review points to a 2025 report estimating that energy transition investments could support an average of 235,000 to 350,000 construction and building trades jobs a year over the next 25 years. Those are jobs in retrofits, renewables, transit and efficient buildings.

The practical takeaway: skills like electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, insulation and pipefitting are not going out of style. They are becoming more valuable.

You get paid to learn, and certification pays off

Most post-secondary paths ask you to pay tuition for years before you earn. An apprenticeship flips that. Most of your training happens on the job, working for an employer who pays you while you build hours toward your certificate. Your wage typically steps up as you move through each level.

The payoff at the end is real. Statistics Canada reports that newly certified journeypersons earned a median of $56,580 one year after certification in 2022, in inflation-adjusted 2018 dollars. That's the highest level since the series began in 2008.

Finishing matters. A Statistics Canada study found that certified journeypersons working in their trade earned a median of $67,100 seven years after registering. Apprentices who dropped out and worked outside their trade earned $35,600. Even certified tradespeople working in other industries out-earned those who didn't finish.

And many trades travel well. Red Seal certification is recognized across provinces and territories, so your skills can follow you where the work is.

Ottawa is putting real money behind new apprentices

In April 2026, the federal government announced Team Canada Strong, a $6 billion plan to recruit, train and hire 80,000 to 100,000 new Red Seal trades workers over five years. The same announcement says Canada will need more than 1.4 million new trades workers by 2033.

The plan, part of the Spring Economic Update 2026, includes:

  • A $400 weekly top-up while you attend mandatory in-class technical training, up to $16,000 per apprentice, on top of Employment Insurance
  • A one-time $5,000 bonus when you earn Red Seal certification
  • Up to $10,000 for employers toward a first-year apprentice's salary, through a new Build Canada Apprenticeship Service
  • Paid, job-ready placements that lead into registered apprenticeships
  • A faster path to certification, with online exams, digital logbooks and a goal of cutting certification time in half

These measures roll out starting in the 2026–27 fiscal year, so check Canada.ca for when each one opens. Two supports are available now: Employment Insurance during technical training, and up to $20,000 in interest-free Canada Apprentice Loans. The older Apprenticeship Incentive and Completion Grants closed on March 31, 2025. Your province may also offer its own grants.

The employer subsidy matters most. It's aimed squarely at the biggest barrier new apprentices face.

The hard part, and how to get past it

If the demand is this strong, why isn't everyone already in? Because getting started is confusing. In most trades, you can't register as an apprentice until an employer agrees to sponsor you. Deloitte's analysis makes the same point from the industry side: recruitment alone won't close the gap unless employers are willing to take apprentices on.

Then there's the paperwork. Registration rules, logbooks, hours, technical training dates and funding forms all vary by trade and province. Statistics Canada finds that about two in five apprentices discontinue their programs, more than the share who complete on time. People leave for many reasons, but losing track of the process shouldn't be one of them.

Here's how to step up now:

  1. Pick a trade to explore. Look at what's in demand in your region and what kind of work you'd enjoy day to day.
  2. Find employers who actually register apprentices. Not every job posting leads to an apprenticeship. Ask directly.
  3. Apply with a clear, specific résumé. Show reliability, any hands-on experience and why you want this trade.
  4. Register as soon as you're hired. Your hours start counting once you're registered with your provincial apprenticeship authority.
  5. Keep your records tight. Track hours, training and documents from day one.

That's exactly what Arlo was built for. Tell Arlo the trade you want. It finds employers who sponsor apprentices, drafts your applications, keeps your documents in order and tells you what to do next each week.

Canada needs people who can build. The door is open wider than it has been in years. Start free with Arlo and take the first step.

Sources

See 101 open apprenticeshipsReal openings across Canada, updated daily.
Arlo can do the next step with you

Tell it your trade and province. It finds employers who sponsor and writes the applications.

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