of contractors, unions, associations, 
owners and other stakeholders. The 
result, says Mollenhauer, is timely 
forecasts grounded in direct industry 
input that have proven invaluable for 
industry leaders with every release: 
“They’re a very reliable source for the 
construction industry’s labour data. 
Their numbers are real, they’re well 
researched, and they’re made by 
talking to the people in the industry and 
on the ground.”
“When BuildForce puts out a report,” 
he adds, “my recommendation to our 
members is to read it.”
As for the challenging environment 
forecasted by the latest reports, 
Mollenhauer says the message is clear: 
“It’s going to get worse before it gets better, 
period. And if we’re not recognizing that, 
then we’re not making the right decisions 
we need to make to be prepared for the 
challenges that are coming.”  ◄
Looking ahead, non-residential 
investment is expected to continue 
growing through 2029 as many of these 
known projects reach peak construction 
activity, after which activity is forecast to 
begin cycling downwards.
EXPERIENCE GOING OUT  
THE DOOR
Even with residential activity at historic 
lows, the industry’s workforce challenges 
have not disappeared. Retirements 
continue to be one of the largest drivers 
of labour demand, with about 23 per cent 
of the regional labour force expected to 
exit the industry due to retirement over 
the next 10 years.
The challenge is not simply replacing 
workers; it is replacing experience. As 
Irwin aptly notes: “When we talk about the 
people nearing retirement, we’re talking 
about people leaving many, many years 
of experience. These are journeypersons 
who are walking out the door, and not just 
leaving their hard hat behind, but taking 
decades of experience with them.”
This inevitable mass exit has been on TCA 
members’ radars for some time. And as 
TCA president and CEO John Mollenhauer 
notes, “There isn’t a button we can push 
that will suddenly bring people to fill those 
spots that have now been vacated by a 
retiring long-term construction person. 
Whether it’s skilled labour or estimators, 
there’s a shortage right across 
the gamut.”
Adding to the pressure is competition 
for talent from virtually every other 
sector of the economy. “This isn’t just a 
construction problem,” says Bess. “This is 
a Canada-wide problem that has a direct 
impact on the economy.”
Neither BuildForce nor industry 
stakeholders see a quick fix. Instead, 
the industry is looking at a combination 
of solutions, including attracting 
more young people into the trades, 
increasing participation among women 
and other underrepresented groups 
(e.g., newcomers and Indigenous 
communities), improving apprenticeship 
completion rates and raising  
awareness of construction as a viable  
first-choice career. 
TRUST IN THE NUMBERS
When BuildForce releases its reports, 
industries listen. Each is created and 
continuously updated through regional 
labour market committees made up 
LAWYERS SUPPORTING 
TRADE UNIONS AND 
WORKING PEOPLE
KOSKIE MINSKY LLP
LEADERS IN  
CONSTRUCTION LAW
20 QUEEN STREET WEST, SUITE 900  |  TORONTO, ON  M5H 3R3  |  KOSKIE MINSKY LLP
JEFFREY ARMEL | JEFFREY LONG | DANIEL RESNICK 
BUILDERSDIGEST   Quarter 2  2026   21
CONSTRUCTION PRIORITIES: BUILDFORCE REPORTS

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