EHRC Workforce in Motion Report: 20,500 New Workers Needed Before 2022

EHRC

Apr 14, 2019

In a recent interview with the The National Post, Electricity Human Resources Canada CEO Michelle Branigan said the need for workers in Canada’s electricity industry is “extremely critical.”

The industry directly employs almost 107,000 people, but less than 1 in 20 is aged 25 or under, only 1 in 4 is a woman, and just over 1 in 10 is from a visbile minority.

These statistics are from EHRC’s Workforce in Motion, a labour market intelligence research initiative for the years 2017-2022. The research report is a planning and informing tool for a wide range of electricity sector stakeholders and provides critical information to the sector for both short and long term resource planning.

This ongoing study provides industry with information on the most up-to-date issues and statistics affecting the electricity sector and the subsequent implications for the demand-supply gap.

The study is an update to EHRC’s 2011 “Power in Motion,” which provided electricity companies with concrete, actionable steps to help them address HR challenges on a number of different fronts. As part of the current iteration, Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) asked industry stakeholders to complete a survey on the number of employees by occupation within their organizations, and areas of expected employment growth.

Developing a pipeline of skilled labour to ensure an adequate pool of trained and experienced workers for both today and tomorrow is critical to ensuring the long-term stability of Canada’s electricity supply.

Watch for more on the report in an upcoming issue.

Related Articles


Latest Articles


Changing Scene

  • Save the Date: Ontario Apprenticeship Summit 2026 – November 4, 2026

    Save the Date: Ontario Apprenticeship Summit 2026 – November 4, 2026

    July 6, 2026 Skilled Trades Ontario (STO) is pleased to announce that the third annual Ontario Apprenticeship Summit will take place during National Skilled Trades and Technology Week. Industry partners, skilled trades professionals, and apprentices are invited to attend the Toronto Congress Centre on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. The Ontario Apprenticeship Summit 2026 is focused… Read More…

  • Fort McMurray Apprentice Electrician to Represent Canada at Skilled Canada National Competition

    Fort McMurray Apprentice Electrician to Represent Canada at Skilled Canada National Competition

    July 6, 2026 In recognition of World Youth Skills Day, which underscores the vital role of skills development among young people, Skills/Compétences Canada (SCC) is proud to officially announce the 31 talented members of WorldSkills Team Canada 2026.These young competitors will begin their training to prepare for the 48th WorldSkills Competition, in Shanghai, China, which will be held… Read More…

  • Westburne Celebrates 100 Years with Brandon Trade Show

    Westburne Celebrates 100 Years with Brandon Trade Show

    July 6, 2026 Recently, Westburne hosted over 200 guests and over 60 partners and suppliers at their Brandon Trade Show to celebrate 100 years of Westburne. “Westburne’s annual Midwest Tradeshow welcomed more than 220 attendees in Brandon this year, including representatives from over 60 partner businesses and suppliers. Taking place annually for over 15 years,… Read More…

  • B.C. Expands Energy Efficiency Program to Provide No-Cost Retrofits to Homeowners, Tenants

    B.C. Expands Energy Efficiency Program to Provide No-Cost Retrofits to Homeowners, Tenants

    July 3, 2026 Together with BC Hydro, FortisBC and Natural Resources Canada, the Province is supporting families with lower incomes to save money on their utility costs through home-energy improvements.  “We are taking action to help people lower their utility bills by expanding our home energy-efficiency programming for lower-income families,” said Adrian Dix, B.C.’s Minister… Read More…