'It's now up to employers, policymakers, academia and our workforce to stay focused on furthering the environmental economy'
Environmental employment across Canada is expected to increase by eight per cent over the next decade -- despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from ECO Canada.
This equates to 50,000 new jobs being created over the next 10 years, while close to 30 per cent of the workforce is expected to retire within that period. The combination of new jobs and replacement demand may contribute as many as 233,500 net openings by 2029, according to the report.
“Though the COVID crisis has taken its toll, the environmental labour market is still growing. It’s now up to employers, policymakers, academia and our workforce to stay focused on furthering the environmental economy as our recovery takes hold,” says Kevin Nilsen, ECO Canada president and CEO. “It’s also increasingly important that we continue analyzing and reporting on our environmental labour market so that we are ready to meet the needs of such a rapidly expanding economy.”
ECO Canada notes that environmental priorities, regulations, and investment have intensified over the last decade and these changes have contributed to the substantial growth of green jobs in Canada.
High employment growth is expected in energy efficiency, clean technology, nature conservation, sustainable transportation, green building and water quality.
Data from ECO Canada’s 2020 Environmental Labour Demand Outlook Report integrate three main sources: job postings, StatCan’s Census and Labour Force Survey data and Employment and Social Development Canada’s Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS).
Growing the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry in British Columbia (B.C.) could create thousands of jobs and boost total wages, according to a report from the Conference Board of Canada in July.
