The Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) has published the 2019 Canadian Mining Labour Market Outlook report. A strong contributor to the Canadian economy, mining experienced a significant surge in development during the early 2010s – followed by a prolonged downturn lasting beyond the middle of the decade. MiHR’s 2019 report showcases evidence that the economic outlook of Canada’s mining industry is improving.

“Mining is characteristically volatile and cyclical, further challenged by skills gaps and labour shortages that have the potential to derail operations,” said MiHR’s Executive Director Ryan Montpellier. “Investigating challenges and trends and how they are expected to change over the course of the next decade is critical to ensuring companies and post-secondary educational institutions are prepared for the road ahead.”

The Canadian Mining Labour Market Outlook examines recent challenges and trends across a range of indicators that contribute to the industry’s economic outlook. MiHR’s 2019 report builds on previous outlooks, establishing a profile of Canada’s current mining labour force and providing forecasts for hiring requirements and available talent over the next decade (2019-2029). Key findings include:

• Over 97,000 workers will need to be hired in the next decade under a baseline scenario, and potentials up to 135,000 workers under a growth scenario.
• There are still gaps in key occupational categories including trades and production, technicians and technologists, and supervisory and managerial positions.
• Undergraduate mining engineering program enrolment dropped 12% between 2015 and 2016, the largest decline of all engineering programs.

In addition to the industry landscape established through analyses and forecasting, MiHR’s Canadian Mining Labour Market 2019 highlights special topics of particular relevancy to Canada’s mining industry. Special topics investigated include: (1) the representation of women in Canada’s mining labour market, (2) the impact new technologies will have on the mining workforce, and (3) the increased demand for mining workers who possess science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills.

“MiHR’s 2019 Canadian Mining Labour Market Outlook is a fantastic resource for our industry. By increasing our understanding of our labour market and identifying potential occupational gaps, MiHR is helping the industry take proactive measures to mitigate skills shortages caused primarily by employee retirements,” said Erin Mills, MiHR's Director - Labour Market Intelligence .

Visit MiHR.ca to access a digital copy of the 2019 report.

For More Information

William Meyer
Director, Marketing and Communications
The Mining Industry Human Resources Council
613.270.9696 x 58
wmeyer@mihr.ca