Local Employment Potential Information

Table on the employment potential for Residential Home Builders and Renovators in Southern Region as well as in the rest of the Nova Scotia.

Location	Employment Potential	Release Date
Southern Region		2011-09-08

Currently the chances of qualified Residential Home Builders and Renovators finding employment are considered to be fair in the local area. Employment potential is fair locally because management positions are more stable in the construction industry and tend to be filled from within. Many times the position is filled by the owner of the business. The aging population in the region should keep the renovation market healthy in the coming years. Qualified personnel in this occupation need to keep pace with changing building codes and regulations, as well as new building materials and technologies. There can be seasonal aspects to this occupation with demand for workers lower in winter months. As a whole, the local construction industry has an aging workforce that is starting to retire. Although the flow of workers to western provinces has slowed, with some people returning, there is still the pull to higher paying jobs and more steady employment. This had led to shortages in some skilled trades, especially for larger projects. Small companies dominate this sector with the vast majority of employers employing less than five employees. The strength of the construction industry usually has a direct impact on the employment outlook for this occupation. Lunenburg County continues to account for nearly nine out of every ten dollars spent in residential construction in the Lunenburg/Queens area. In South West Nova Scotia, residential construction values continued to trend downward in 2010 with less new starts and more renovations. Some contractors are concerned that when stimulus funding projects end at the end of March 2011, there may be a lack of long-term opportunities. However, 2011 will see the completion or continuation of two major high schools, three residential care facilities, a recreation centre and continued infrastructure work regarding utilities, wharves and paving projects.

In addition to employment opportunities locally, opportunities may exist in other areas of the province or in other regions of the country. People who are able to work elsewhere may want to research opportunities for this occupation in other labour markets within Nova Scotia and across the country. The future employment outlook for Residential Home Builders and Renovators in Nova Scotia is expected to be fair over the next 5 years.

Additional information on Residential Home Builders and Renovators (opportunities in other areas, training, who hires, current job openings, statistics and other information), is available on other parts of this web site.

Local Labour Market News

Week of Apr 08 – Apr 12, 2013

• Shelburne will benefit from federal money to help it expand and develop its industrial park

Week of Apr 01 – Apr 05, 2013

• McNally Construction Inc. will design and build a replacement for the fendering system at the Digby Ferry terminal. It is not known when work will begin.
• Work will begin in April on a new 40-unit senior apartment complex being developed near Shelburne by the Atlantic Baptist Senior Citizens Homes Inc.

Week of Mar 25 – Mar 29, 2013

• The federal government will provide funding for sewer and wastewater projects in Lower West Pubnico, which will lead to increased activity at local seafood processing operations

Week of Jan 21 – Jan 25, 2013

• McNally Construction has won a tender for the wharf renovation project in Digby, with work expected to go until the end of March 2013