February 2024
Labour Market Snapshot
Note to readers Labour market information (LMI) is actionable intelligence pertaining to the supply and demand of labour. It puts raw data into context and facilitates better decisions by employers, workers, job seekers, policymakers, educators, career practitioners, academics, students, parents, and more.
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LMI at Trucking HR Canada is prepared by our team of analysts using Statistics Canada census and labour force survey data, as well as qualitative and quantitative research directly from employers that fills gaps in the publicly available data.
Trucking and logistics labour market stabilizing in 2023 Introduction One of Trucking HR Canada’s top
In 2021, employment in the trucking and logistics
strategic priorities is to help meet our
sector hit a 10-year record high of almost 790,000
industry’s HR challenges by providing
as the economy rebounded following the severe
relevant, accurate, and accessible labour
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout
market information (LMI). Our quarterly
2022 and 2023, labour market pressures in the
reports provide data that is not available
sector started to ease. In 2023, employment
anywhere else along with in-depth
was less than 1% above the 10-year average
analysis by experts who understand the
at 752,200. While the number of vacancies for
trucking and logistics sector.
drivers is decreasing, employers are still wrestling with lower-than-average unemployment rates, indicating that the pool of experienced drivers seeking work is relatively small. This underscores
Trucking HR Canada is committed to bringing
the ongoing need to recruit and train brand new
you employment information and strategies to
drivers to meet the demand for trucking services.
help meet the demands of the changing supply chain landscape. We use these quarterly insights to keep our programs and resources up to date to help you build the skilled workforce your
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organization needs to thrive.
After a post-pandemic surge, Canada’s trucking and logistics labour market is stabilizing The COVID-19 pandemic shocked Canada’s
sector. Trucking HR Canada’s 2020 and 2021
labour market and it is still suffering from lingering
labour market research found that 60%–70% of
effects. Many industries suffered almost complete
trucking and logistics employers had to reduce
shutdowns and unemployment rates across the
hours or lay off workers during the first few months
Canadian economy spiked. The post-pandemic
of the pandemic but by mid-2020, employment
impacts are still playing out across the country,
rebounded, with total annual employment in 2020
with persistent labour shortages in health
sitting roughly at the ten-year average. As the
care, accommodation and food services, and
Canadian economy began to recover from the
construction, to name a few. The experience in
initial shock of the pandemic, the labour market
the trucking and logistics sector was somewhat
in trucking and logistics surged, with employment
different. Although demand for trucking services
across the sector hitting a ten-year high of
dropped off sharply in the first few months of
almost 790,000 in 2021 and vacancy rates for
2020, it surged later in the year as Canadians
drivers hitting record highs. By the close of 2023,
adjusted their purchasing patterns and the
employment in the sector was cooling with the
demand for food, fuel, medical supplies and
total number of workers at 752,200, less than 1%
personal protective equipment increased. The
above the ten-year average.
impact was significant in the trucking and logistics
900 880 860 840
EMPLOYMENT (‘000) IN CANADIAN TRUCKING AND LOGISTICS SECTOR, 2014–2023
820 2021 789.1
780
2023 752.2
760 740 10 Year Average 746.6
720 700 680
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Graph Source: T rucking HR Canada, Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, custom data request, 2023
2022
2023
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Employment ('000)
800
Following a significant drop in employment in the
unemployment rate dropped from a high of 4.6%
trucking and logistics sector in the first quarter of
in March to just 3% in December, the lowest
2023, the number of workers in the sector surged
unemployment rate among trucking and logistics
through the last three quarters of the year, peaking
workers all year.
at 782,500 in November. At the same time, the
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT (‘000) AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (%) TRUCKING AND LOGISTICS SECTOR, 2023 3-MONTH MOVING AVERAGE
Employment (‘000) — Unemployment Rate March 4.6%
800
5.0 4.5
780
782.5
Employment ('000)
760
758.9
760.7
3.5
761.5
751.7
740
3.0
743.6
720
December 3.0%
728.9
726
4.0
2.5 2.0
713
711.8
1.5
700
Unemployment Rate (%)
775.2
774.2
1.0 680
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
Mar.
Jun.
Jul.
Aug. Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Graph Source: T rucking HR Canada, Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, custom data request, 2023
Dec.
0.0
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660
0.5
Drivers’ employment rose in the last two quarter of 2023 Employment among transport truck drivers
sharply over the last three quarters of the
increased over the course of 2023, averaging
year, settling at 3.5% in December. The lower
317,300 drivers. Unemployment of truck drivers
unemployment rate indicates a smaller pool of
peaked in April 2023, reaching 6.5%, but dropped
potential job applicants in the driver occupation.
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT (‘000) AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (%) TRANSPORT TRUCK DRIVERS, 2023 3-MONTH MOVING AVERAGE
Employment (‘000) — Unemployment Rate
400
7
April 6.5%
350
328.8
250
285.1
281
287.3
340.3
6
340.2
330.4
327.4
5
305
December 3.5%
4
200 3 150 2
100
1
50 0
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
Mar.
Jun.
Jul.
Aug. Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Graph Source: T rucking HR Canada, Statistics Canada, Labour force survey, custom data request, 2023
Dec.
0
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Employment ('000)
288.7
349.5
Unemployment Rate (%)
300
343.7
Vacancy data for the third quarter could point to easing of the driver shortage Between Q3 2022 and Q3 2023, the number
estimated to have decreased from 8% to 5%.
of vacant driver position decreased by 6,765
This could signal an easing of the tightness in the
positions and the occupational vacancy rate is
labour market for drivers.
NUMBER OF VACANCIES AND VACANCY RATE (%) TRANSPORT TRUCK DRIVERS Q3 2022–Q3 2023
Vacancies — Vacancy Rate Q3 2022 8% 30,000
9 8
25,000
26,905
21,685
20,000
20,140
7 6 5
15,000 4 10,000
3 2
5,000 1 0
Q3 2022
Q4 2022
Q1 2023
Q2 2023
Q3 2023
0
Graph Source: T rucking HR Canada and Statistics Canada Labour force survey, custom data request and Table 14-10-0328-01 Job vacancies, proportion of job vacancies and average offered hourly wage by selected characteristics, quarterly, unadjusted for seasonality, 2023
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Vacancies
23,860
Vacancy Rate (%)
23,205
Q3 2023 5%
Fresh insights coming soon
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Trucking HR Canada is finalizing its updated labour market system and databases. In 2024, we will be publishing an updated comprehensive labour market outlook report. This report will showcase brand new labour market analysis and forecasts to 2030. The report will also reveal the results of THRC’s newest employer survey, highlighting the changing priorities, HR challenges and labour market outlook of Canadian trucking and logistics employers.
Trucking HR Canada’s labour market information initiative has the following reports available: × Labour Market Snapshot January 2023 × Labour Market Snapshot June 2023 × Labour Market Insights Special Vacancy Report August 2023 × Labour Market Snapshot November 2023 Want to stay informed? Subscribe to our newsletter HERE Follow us on X-TWITTER@THRCCanada | LINKEDIN-IN @trucking-hr-canada
For more information about this briefing or
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Trucking HR Canada, please contact us:
report, please cite Trucking HR Canada, or use
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the following reference:
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Trucking HR Canada. (2024).
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Labour Market Snapshot: February 2024.
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Ottawa: Trucking HR Canada.
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