SHCA is about community, so it’s wonderful to see Saskatchewan’s small and medium-sized businesses coming together for the greater good of all those who need medical care throughout this province! Thank you to our fellow businesses for letting SHCA tag along with you this year as you support a critically important charity.
Saskatchewan Starting 2024 Strong: 12,900 Jobs Added Year-Over-Year, Unemployment Rate Falls to 4.7 Per Cent
Newly released numbers from Statistics Canada show Saskatchewan’s labour market is off to a strong start in 2024, with 12,900 new jobs added last month when compared to January 2023, an increase of 2.2 per cent. The provincial labour force also reached 623,300 in January, a record high for the month.
“Saskatchewan continues to excel in 2024, with strong job growth, a low unemployment rate and a growing labour force,” Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “Building our labour force to support our economy is a top priority to our government. This is why the province is consistently making strategic investments to promote economic growth and is actively supporting employers to help them train, recruit and retain the talent needed to fill job vacancies and build a skilled workforce.”
The provincial seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.7 per cent, ranked third amongst the provinces, remaining consistently below the national average of 5.7 per cent.
Saskatchewan saw both an all-time historical population (aged 15 and over) high of 938,900, and an all-time historical off-reserve Indigenous population (aged 15 and over) high of 112,300.
The province also saw record highs for the month of January (aged 15 and over), including:
- Total Saskatchewan employment: 591,500
- Saskatchewan male employment: 313,900
- Saskatchewan female employment: 277,600
- Off-reserve Indigenous employment: 62,400
Off-reserve Indigenous employment was up 2,600, an increase of 4.3 per cent, and Indigenous youth employment was up 3,300, an increase of 33.3 per cent, marking the fourth consecutive month of year-over-year increases for both.
Both of Saskatchewan’s major cities saw job growth compared to last January as well, with Regina’s employment up 10,100, an increase of 7.3 per cent, and Saskatoon’s employment up 10,800, an increase of 5.8 per cent.
Major year-over-year gains were reported for professional, scientific and technical services, up 9,500, an increase of 32.8 per cent; educational services, up 4,300, an increase of 8.2 per cent; and wholesale and retail trade, up 2,900, an increase of 3.0 per cent.
Saskatchewan has continued to see growth across several other key indicators. Urban housing starts in Saskatchewan were up 86.4 per cent in December 2023, when compared to December 2022, ranking second in growth among provinces. The value of building permits reached $249 million in November 2023 (seasonally adjusted), an increase of 83.9 per cent from November 2022, the highest increase in all of Canada.
Empowering Safe Workplaces: CCA and WomanACT Join Forces to Tackle Harassment in STEM and Trades
The Safe STEM Workplaces project is a collaborative effort between WomanACT and the Society for Canadian Women in Science & Technology (SCWIST) aimed at fostering safe and harassment-free workplaces, particularly within the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and trade sectors.
The project, funded by the Department of Justice, seeks to enhance prevention and response measures for gender-based and sexual harassment. It directly confronts harassment in workplaces, especially affecting women, with the goal of reducing stress, enhancing productivity and retaining women in these industries. This program could not be possible without the involvement of employers such as the Canadian Construction Association (CCA), Chandos Construction, TandemLaunch and EllisDon, which are among many employers dedicated to nurturing respectful and secure work environments.
WomanACT and SCWIST have partnered with CCA to launch a transformative micro-lesson training series. This dynamic initiative, available through CCA partner associations to CCA integrated members at no cost, aims to reshape workplace cultures and eliminate gender-based and sexual harassment within workplaces. The micro-lesson series offers an interactive training program encompassing essential concepts, practical strategies and actionable steps. Participants will delve into trauma-informed practices, procedural fairness, equity, as well as the nuances of gender, sexual orientation and harassment, and will receive a certificate upon completion. The series empowers participants to foster accountable workplace cultures, implement preventative measures and respond effectively to incidents.
“Our partnership for the Micro-Lesson Training Series with CCA signifies more than collaboration; it signifies our shared commitment to reshape workplaces,” said Harmy Mendoza, executive director of WomanACT.“We’re writing a story where harassment has no place, and equality and respect thrive.”
The Micro-Lesson Series epitomizes the synergy achieved through cross-sectoral partnerships. CCA’s commitment to cultivating a culture of respect and safety aligns seamlessly with the shared objectives of WomanACT and SCWIST.
“The construction sector continues to invest in an inclusive and respectful workplace. We are delighted to offer this training to our member firms through our integrated partner associations across Canada,” said Mary Van Buren, CCA president.
Saskatchewan Sees Remarkable Growth in Construction Investment
In early January, Statistics Canada reported significant growth in Saskatchewan’s building permits. The total value of building permits in the province reached $249 million in November 2023 (seasonally adjusted). This is an 83.9 per cent increase from November 2022, and the highest increase in all of Canada. Saskatchewan also experienced notable month to month growth, showing an increase of 19.3 per cent compared to October 2023.
“Continued strength in building permits showcases our province as the prime location for construction and investment across the nation,” Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “These figures demonstrate the confidence that individuals and businesses have in making real and tangible long-term investments in our province. It is a reflection of the stability and strength of our investment climate that we have worked hard with our partners and stakeholders to create.”
These figures build on Saskatchewan’s strong economic performance. Most recently, Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey showed employment in Saskatchewan reached a record 600,200 in December 2023, adding 22,100 full time jobs year-over-year. This ranked Saskatchewan second among the provinces in terms of percentage change at 3.8 per cent. Saskatchewan ended the year with a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 5.0 per cent, below the national average of 5.8 per cent.
According to Statistics Canada, wholesale trade has also increased by 22.9 per cent in October 2023, when compared to October 2022 (seasonally adjusted). The total value of wholesale trade for October 2023 is nearly $5.7 billion. Investment in building construction continues to grow, reaching $493 million for October 2023.
Building permits are the dollar value of construction permits for residential and non-residential buildings.
SHCA Members Save up to 55% on Purolator Shipping Services
You’re always looking for ways to reduce transportation costs and serve your customers better. That’s why the Canadian Society of Association Executives has negotiated favourable shipping rates with Purolator.
SHCA members, you qualify to save. To view the program – and other affinity programs for you – click here.
Jack Brodsky Named CTV Saskatoon’s 2023 Citizen of the Year
An SHCA board member was named CTV Saskatoon’s 2023 Citizen of the Year for his decades of work as a community builder who has made a difference in the lives of countless youths. Jack Brodsky, who has lived in Saskatoon since he was four years old, is a graduate of Aden Bowman Collegiate Institute.
In 1978, he became a certified engineering technologist though Saskatchewan Polytechnic. In the following years, Brodsky learned the family construction business while also learning the importance of giving back to the community. He was a co-owner of the Saskatoon Blades from 1976 to 2013 and was instrumental in developing a scholarship program for graduating Western Hockey League players. He’s also volunteered for many organizations and has served on multiple boards.
Read the next issue of Think BIG magazine this spring to learn more about Brodsky’s commitment to the construction industry and his community.
WCB Approves 2024 Premium Rates
The Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) has approved the 2024 average employer premium rate to remain unchanged from the 2023 rate of $1.28 per hundred dollars of payroll.
“The primary drivers of the 2024 premium rate are claim costs and payroll,” said Gord Dobrowolsky, WCB’s chair. “The average premium rate this year will not increase, however we are expecting total costs to continue to rise in the future. This could place upward pressure on premium rates. The WCB’s rate model ensures a balance between stable rates and a fully funded compensation system.”
In 2022, 90 per cent of employers achieved zero injuries and zero fatalities. The WCB is working to support workers and employers across the province to prioritize and effectively manage workplace safety. Currently, serious injuries account for the majority of claim costs within the workers’ compensation system. Approximately 10 to 13 per cent of claims result in more than 80 per cent of costs.
The WCB has a legislative obligation to remain fully funded. In response to changing accounting standards, the WCB has finalized a comprehensive review of the funding policy. The funding policy has been superseded by the sufficiency policy, which measures funding adequacy in a different way. The sufficiency policy reconfirms the WCB’s commitment to hold sufficient funds to balance long-term obligations to workers and employers.
“To help reduce volatility in premium rates under the new accounting standards, the WCB’s sufficiency policy targets a range of between 100 and 140 per cent funded to cover the costs of current and future claims,” said Phillip Germain, the WCB’s CEO. “The 2024 rate ensures we will be able to maintain our funded position.”
Employers can help prevent work-related injuries through effective safety management systems. By working together, all stakeholders can prevent disability through effective rehabilitation and return-to-work plans can help employers reduce claim costs and manage work-related injuries. By reducing the number and severity of injuries in the workplace, industry premium rates will be positively impacted. Employers and the WCB can work collaboratively to develop safety management systems and return-to-work programs to help prevent and manage work-related injuries.
To further support workers and employers, WorkSafe Saskatchewan, the partnership between the WCB and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, launched the 2023-2028 Fatalities and Serious Injuries Strategy in March of this year. The updated strategy, built on the success of the 2019-2021 strategy, focuses on two key streams of work that will be undertaken to reduce injuries and fatalities – a regulatory and enforcement stream, and a prevention and learning stream. The strategy lays out a direction for working together with stakeholders, including non-profit safety associations, to address high-risk industries and occupations that are resulting in workplace fatalities and injuries.
“The WCB will continue to work closely with employers, workers and health-care providers to support the prevention of work disability through collaborative planning,” said Dobrowolsky. “As we head into 2024, we continue our commitment to eliminate workplace fatalities and injuries in the workplace. It is only together that we will achieve this vision.”
2023 Fall Economic Statement Lacks Concrete Actions
The 2023 Fall Economic Statement, released near the end of November, focused heavily on necessary housing investment, but fell short in other important areas including measures to shore up Canada’s trade-enabling infrastructure. Approximately two-thirds of Canada’s GDP is from trade, yet the statement remained silent on bolstering Canada’s trade network which pays for the social infrastructure Saskatchewan enjoys.
The announcement to leverage the Canada Infrastructure Bank to support more housing may finally recognize the fact that more homes cannot be built without the essential housing-enabling infrastructure to support it – a position the industry has repeatedly emphasized to all orders of government. Details on these necessary investments are missing. The industry is expecting to see a long-term, comprehensive infrastructure investment plan in the federal government’s 2024 Budget.
The industry is encouraged that the federal government recognizes the workforce shortage yet a focus on internal labour mobility rather than more progressive policy changes to immigration are not the answer. Free mobility within Canada is simply not an adequate solution to address the workforce shortage when collectively Canada does not have enough workers coast to coast. This is why the industry is calling on the government to help address the workforce shortage by overhauling immigration to attract labour from abroad.
Finally, while the commitment to getting major projects built faster is positive, implementation will rely in part on the government’s willingness to review and modernize their procurement practices. This includes considering alternative delivery models and better balancing risk between owners and contractors.
The Canadian construction industry will continue to partner with government to build a strong foundation for a stronger Canada.
Russ Clunie Wins 2023 ACEC-SK Mentor Award
Russel Clunie, Sr., P.Eng. is the recipient of the 2023 Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Saskatchewan (ACEC-SK) Mentor Award.