The B.C. government has tasked cities to approve new housing projects on a large scale to ease the affordability crisis.

But who will actually build them?

B.C. is facing a construction worker shortage, according to a new survey by the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA).

According to the survey, 77 per cent of Vancouver Island construction companies say they are short of workers. Meanwhile, 32 per cent of these same companies say they expect more work in 2024 than the previous year.

ICBA employers report that the average construction hourly wage will grow five per cent this year, and another six per cent in 2025. With these increases, in 2025, the industryB次元官网网址檚 average hourly wage B次元官网网址� before any bonuses, benefits, profit-sharing or overtime B次元官网网址� will reach $37.51, or about $78,000 annually, said a news release by the ICBA.

B次元官网网址淐onstruction is dynamic, fast-paced, and rewarding B次元官网网址� people wake up every day and go to a job site to build everything around us, creating inspiring legacies that shape our communities and the way we will live for generations,B次元官网网址� said ICBA president Chris Gardner, who released ICBAB次元官网网址檚 annual Wage and Benefits Survey of its member companies on Jan. 8. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a message we have to convey to young people in a more convincing way than we have in the past.B次元官网网址�

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Despite record levels of immigration, B.C. builders flag labour shortages of people (79 per cent of contractors say there arenB次元官网网址檛 enough skilled workers), as a major challenge.

Said Gardner: B次元官网网址淔ewer than two per cent of permanent immigrants entering Canada pursue a construction trade, so as a country we are failing to identify the gaps in our economy and recruiting people to move to Canada with the skills to fill those gaps B次元官网网址� we have to do better and quickly.B次元官网网址�

Other major issues include supply chain constraints, and government red tape cited as major drags on their work B次元官网网址� and this is driving up costs and impeding the efforts to tackle housing affordability.

B次元官网网址淲e have not moved the needle on housing supply for the past 50 years B次元官网网址� we are building fewer homes today than we did in 1972. Reams of new regulations and convoluted approval processes have choked the supply we need to keep home prices affordable for first time homebuyers and young families,B次元官网网址� said Gardner.

B次元官网网址淎ll three levels of government need to stop the finger-pointing and working at cross-purposes, and collaborate meaningfully to fast track housing, cut red tape, and put in place practical policies that will make a real difference for home buyers.B次元官网网址�