The construction industry is showing signs of returning to typical labour market conditions. Data from the March 2025 Build Force Canada Labour Force Survey finds several key metrics tracking higher over the past 12 months. Compared with March 2024, the industry’s labour force rose by 43,300 workers (2.6 percent). However, employment increased by only 24,300 (1.6 percent), which contributed to a year-over-year increase in the unemployment rate, from 7.3 percent in March of 2024 to 8.2 percent in 2025.
The higher unemployment rate suggests the industry may be returning to more typical levels of activity, particularly compared with the extremely tight labour markets seen in recent years, according to Build Force Canada.
