As construction workers’ vacations are fast approaching, the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) emphasizes that “professional prospects are excellent for all employees” in this sector of activity.
“In 2023, activity on construction sites once again crossed the 200 million hours worked mark. The number of employees remained stable, with 197,179 workers, as did the 27,606 employers in the industry. In this context, the need for labour for trades and occupations will remain high,” the CCQ said in a press release published Tuesday.
“The professional outlook is therefore excellent for all construction employees,” she added. “The expected hours remain above 200 million by 2028, which sets the annual need for 17,000 new workers on the market for the next four years.”
About 80% of the current workforce will go on two-week vacation next Sunday.
This annual break is mandatory for the entire construction industry since it is included in the various collective agreements.
“However, there are exclusions, including a large part of civil engineering and roadworks. Emergency, repair, maintenance, renovation or modification work can continue,” specifies the CCQ.
The organization’s president and CEO, Audrey Murray, says it’s “a tradition that goes well beyond the construction industry.”
“This is a well-deserved break for more than a quarter of the active workforce in Quebec, with interesting economic benefits, particularly for the tourism industry. I wish construction workers and contractors, mainly in the commercial, institutional, industrial and residential sectors, an excellent vacation marked by caution in their activities and in their travels on our roads.”
Workers and entrepreneurs will return to work on August 4.