British Columbia’s Building Trades (BCBT) called on the Canadian government to amend federal immigration policies to address a critical labour shortage in the construction sector. Executive Director Brynn Bourke emphasized the necessity of recruiting skilled foreign workers to fill the gap left by local labour shortages. The union criticized both federal and provincial governments for insufficiently addressing the issue, highlighting that many temporary foreign workers receive lower wages and fewer rights. BCBT claimed that 4.7% of BC’s construction workforce comprises temporary workers, a significantly higher proportion than the national average of 2.1%. Without immigration reforms, the industry could face a deficit of 18,700 workers by 2032.
