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Canada’s energy efficiency workforce grows to 466k: Report

CALGARY — ECO Canada reveals Canada’s 2024 Energy Efficiency Employment Report, funded by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

“Energy efficiency is a critical part of the fight against climate change: it significantly lowers emissions, while also lowering energy costs for Canadians. ECO Canada’s research shows that the energy efficiency sector is growing and providing great job opportunities everywhere from manufacturing and research to construction and contracting. I look forward to seeing even more growth and job creation in the sector as the federal government’s recently announced Canada Green Buildings Strategy helps keep this progress going,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.

This report is a result of an energy efficiency workforce survey conducted in Winter 2023-2024 with the participation of 2694 business establishments nationwide.

Key Findings

• Large Workforce and Revenue: In 2023, six major industries employed nearly 466,000 energy efficiency workers, with $22 billion in estimated employment income.
• Sector Expansion: Since 2018, the sector’s workforce has grown by 6.9%, while the number of establishments increased by 8.7%, and revenues doubled from $82.6 billion to $126.3 billion.
• Workforce Distribution: The construction industry employs 65% of the energy-efficiency workforce. 27% of workers focus on efficient lighting technologies.
• Diversity and Education Gaps: Only 18% of workers are women and 3% are Indigenous. 34% of the workforce has post-secondary education, compared to the national average of 70%.
• Hiring Challenges: Employers face difficulties in recruiting due to high demand and a limited applicant pool.

“This research highlights the increasing importance of energy-efficiency workers in Canada. When we improve energy efficiency, by retrofitting buildings, adopting energy-saving appliances, or optimizing industrial processes, we simultaneously lower energy bills and shrink our carbon footprint. Our energy efficiency workers are the ones who make this possible, through their technical expertise and innovative solutions,” said Genevieve Peters, Research Director, ECO Canada.

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