ECO Canada Releases New Report Highlighting Key Trends and Challenges in the Energy Efficiency Sector [Press release]
Calgary, AB – August 19, 2024 – ECO Canada, a leading organization dedicated to advancing environmental careers, has unveiled Canada’s 2024 Energy Efficiency Employment Report, funded by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). This comprehensive study provides an in-depth analysis of the growth, trends, and challenges within Canada’s energy efficiency sector as the nation strives to meet its ambitious climate goals.
“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.” — Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
The 2024 Energy Efficiency Employment Report, conducted by BW Research Partnership for Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), thoroughly examines how energy efficiency efforts impact various industries and the Canadian workforce. 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
1-Large Workforce and Revenue: In 2023, six major industries employed nearly 466,000 energy efficiency workers, with $22 billion in estimated employment income.
2- 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.
3-Workforce Distribution: The construction industry employs 65% of the energy-efficiency workforce. 27% of workers focus on efficient lighting technologies.
4-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%.
5-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.” — Genevieve Peters, Research Director, ECO Canada.
The 2024 Energy Efficiency Employment Report underscores ECO Canada’s ongoing commitment to supporting environmental professionals and advancing the future of the environmental workforce. For over 20 years, ECO Canada has been at the forefront of researching environmental labor market trends and opportunities, serving as a vital resource for policymakers, industry leaders, and environmental workers alike.
For more information, to read the full report, or to access additional resources, please follow this link: https://eco.ca/new-reports/2024-energy-efficiency-employment-in-canada-report/
Thank you to Natural Resources Canada for making this project possible.
This project was funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Workforce Solutions, the Science Horizon’s Youth Internship Program, and the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy.
About ECO Canada:
ECO Canada is the steward of the Canadian environmental industry. From job creation and wage funding to training and labour market research – we champion the end-to-end career of an environmental professional. We aim to promote and drive responsible, sustainable economic growth within the industry while ensuring that environmental care and best practices are priorities. Over the past 30 years, we have forged academic partnerships, tools, and research to train and certify environmental job seekers and help fill the labour market.
For more information, contact:
Aaron Wilson VP, Marketing & Sales
ECO Canada
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