The number of young women working in Canada’s construction industry fell sharply over the past year, according to the latest labour market analysis from BuildForce Canada.
Construction employment increased 1.4 per cent overall in the 12 months ending in July 2026, but employment among women declined 3.1 per cent. The largest drop was among women aged 15 to 24, whose employment fell 33.3 per cent year over year. The number of young women participating in the construction labour force also declined 31.8 per cent. BuildForce says July marked the eighth time in nine months that the female construction labour force contracted on a year-over-year basis.
The decline comes as the industry continues to contend with long-term workforce needs, while construction employment grew particularly strongly in Western Canada.