The Daily, Thursday, June 28, 2001. National Construction Industry Wage Rate Survey

Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.

National Construction Industry Wage Rate Survey

Data from the National Construction Industry Wage Rate Survey are now available for British Columbia.

This survey was conducted on behalf of the Labour Program of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) to establish fair wage schedules for workers on federal construction projects. The survey was conducted in phases, starting with the Atlantic provinces in 1999. It does not cover Quebec and Yukon, where wage rates are based on schedules set by the province or territory.

Hourly wage rates were collected in January and February 2001 for 37 occupations in commercial and institutional construction in British Columbia. The occupations were selected on the basis of consultations in the fall of 2000 with unions and employers in British Columbia's construction industry. Following further analysis, the list of occupations was finalized in consultation with HRDC.

The survey covered establishments in the construction industry with six or more employees working on institutional and commercial projects. These establishments were asked to provide wage rates for employees working full-time in selected occupations and to indicate whether the workers were unionized or non-unionized.

Hourly wage rates in commercial and institutional construction varied across British Columbia. Generally, construction workers employed by companies in the Greater Vancouver-Center-South area tended to receive higher pay, followed by those in the Island-Coast-Northern region and then the South-Interior region.

On a province-wide basis, wage rates also varied significantly depending on occupation. Of the 37 occupations surveyed, the most frequently paid wage rate in commercial and institutional construction ranged from $10.61 per hour for a flag person to $32.30 per hour for an elevator constructor. (British Columbia's hourly minimum wage is $7.60.)

The three most highly paid occupations were: elevator constructors who earned $32.30 an hour as the most frequently paid wage rate; certified refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics ($27.59) and crane operators ($25.25).

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release or to request a copy of the data, contact Monica Weise (613-951-3217; monica.weise@statcan.gc.ca), Small Business and Special Surveys Division.