THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IS DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTORS
- Non-residential, which has three sub-sectors (heavy industrial, institutional and commercial, engineering)
- Residential. Each sector has its own merits with a varied and rewarding range of work projects.
Click & see what you could build by working in that sector:
NEW HOME BUILDING & RENOVATION
In this sector, you’re not just building a home, you’re making dreams happen! A home is the biggest investment most people will ever make. They dream about owning a home and work to get there. Whether building a brand new home or renovating an existing home, skilled trades are in the business of helping people realize their dreams.
Think about it: your skills can make a difference in people’s lives and in their enjoyment of their home.
DID YOU KNOW?
It takes more than 30 different skilled trades and other occupations
working on site to build a typical home.
There are two main types of employers in this sector:
- New home builders and renovation contractors hire tradespeople on staff, particularly carpenters, framers and site supervisors.
- Trade contractors – independent companies that specialize, for example, plumbing contractors or heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) contractors – range from small 2-3 person companies to larger ones with dozens of employees.
Trade contractors work on contracts for new home builders and renovators on specified projects, and they also offer services directly to the public. Many companies are owned and operated by tradespeople who started out with other firms and then set up their own business.
The value of residential construction and renovation work has increased more than 40% over the last 15 years and accounts for just over 50% of total construction industry employment. Just think of the opportunity!
Many thanks to the Canadian Home Builders’ Association for providing content for this page.
HEAVY INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION
Did you like playing with trucks in the sandbox as a kid? Do you like being outdoors and living in new places? Does the power of a monster truck give you goose bumps?
You can operate some of the biggest trucks in the world working in this sector. We’re talking trucks the size of two-storey houses! And there’s a ton of other ginormous equipment to get excited about, too.
But it’s not just about monster machines. Working in heavy industrial, you’ll help to build huge industrial facilities like power plants, refineries, nuclear plants, mines and oil sands installations (overview video) – all of which contribute to the everyday comforts you, and all Canadians, enjoy regularly.
INSTITUTIONAL & COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION
Have you ever marvelled at the height of a skyscraper, like the 72-storey First Canadian Place in Toronto and the 51-storey 1000 de la Gauchetière in Montreal? Or wondered at the design of a particularly beautiful building, like the Absolute World towers in Mississauga and The Bow office tower in Calgary? Working in institutional and commercial construction puts you right there in the heart of it.
Institutional and commercial construction refers to the building of structures such as high-rise condos and office towers, stadiums, schools, hospitals, malls, libraries, art galleries and museums
DID YOU KNOW?
The minimum wage for a tower crane operator in the institutional
and commercial sector in Manitoba is $35.
ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION
Working in engineering construction means you help to make the world tick. You’ll provide the core infrastructure and install the essential services that keep your community – and Canada – running smoothly.
- You’ll build the bridges, highways, roads and mass transit systems that allow people to travel safely in their everyday lives.
- You’ll install essential services like water treatment systems that keep communities healthy, and power and communication lines that support economic growth.
Essentially, you’ll build the foundations that allow Canada and its people – your family, friends and neighbours – to enjoy a high quality of life and to prosper, in every way.
