Canadian Mining Industry Employment and Hiring Forecasts - MiHR

1 Introduction
Canada’s mining industry is world-class, with the value of mineral production in Canada leading the globe. The industry
accounts for 3.5 per cent of GDP, $9.7 billion in capital spending and over $95 billion in exports. Canada is the top producer
of uranium and potash and among the top five producers of nickel, aluminum, zinc and molybdenum. 1 Demands from
nations experiencing rapid growth and development, such as India and China, ensure a positive economic outlook for the
industry. For example, the rapid pace of growth in China translates into high demand for base metals, potash, uranium
and precious metals, for decades to come. However, the Canadian mining industry faces many challenges, despite its
world-class status.
Human resources challenges pose a serious threat to Canada’s future mining competitiveness and arguably, these challenges
are the greatest constraint to continuous growth in the industry. The Mining Association of Canada recently listed human
resources among the top six key issues facing the industry, along with policy and regulatory issues, environmental impacts,
declining reserves and corporate social responsibility. 2
The challenges stem from an aging population and workforce, a poor image of mining among youth, and working
conditions and cultures that have traditionally discouraged participation of diverse groups such as women and new
Canadians. Despite remarkable efforts to increase participation of previously under-represented groups in the industry’s
workforce, it is becoming more difficult for employers to find the highly skilled and experienced workers they need.
This is already a primary concern in some segments of the sector and the challenge will increase as more experienced
workers retire.
This report provides the foundation for developing new approaches to address human resources challenges and
supporting continued efforts to (i) make the best use of all available sources of labour and (ii) increase productivity.
Current context and workforce demographics, including benchmarks on participation rates, diversity, turnover and
retirement demands appear in Chapter 2. Regional and national forecasts of hiring requirements for the industry as a
whole and by occupational groups are presented in Chapter 3. The information contained in this report can be used by
all industry stakeholders, including employers, educators, and governments.
1 The Mining Association of Canada, “The Canadian Mining Industry: Overview, Issues and the Way Forward,” April 2010.
2 ibid. (Indicates “same as the source above.”)
2010 Employment and Hiring Forecasts
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