Manitoba's transport trucking industry is facing labour shortages
A new report predicts that Manitoba will see consistent job growth over the next few years; however, there are many industries and sectors that will face labour shortages, including the trucking industry.
On Friday, the Manitoba government released the Labour Market Outlook report for 2022 to 2026, which shows that the overall labour supply is about equal to labour market demand. The data also shows that employers in many sectors will continue to face challenges due to labour gaps and shortages.
One sector that is facing these shortages is the transport trucking industry, which has an expected annual labour gap of 470 workers.
According to Aaron Dolyniuk, executive director of the Manitoba Trucking Association, this shortage is fueled by a growing economy and truck drivers opting to leave or retire from the field.
“The report outlines that there are net openings over the next four years of 4,300 people,” he said in an interview with CTV Morning Live on Monday.
Dolyniuk said he’s unsure why young people are not wanting to work in the industry, but it’s something his organization is working on.
“I would say in some ways it’s the perfect storm coming out of the pandemic,” he said.
“It was really challenging for a while to be a truck driver. Having washroom access, having access to restaurants for a while was a problem. I think a lot of people took the opportunity to say, ‘Okay, I’m moving on.’”
Going forward, Dolyniuk would like to see a provincial and national strategy to deal with this issue, as the trucking sector impacts every other industry.
“We’re moving the goods that every other industry needs, so it’s something that we need to take seriously,” he said, noting that the trucking industry brings $4 billion to Manitoba’s GDP.
Dolyniuk said trucking industry labour shortages aren’t specific to Manitoba, but are also being seen across Canada and in the United States as well.
- With files from CTV News' Rachel Lagace.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.