The latest data from Trucking HR Canada’s Q1 vacancy report highlights an ongoing challenge of unfilled positions in the Canadian trucking sector.
Both the truck transportation sector and the occupation of transport truck drivers have experienced an increase in job vacancies when compared to the preceding quarter. Despite this uptick in vacancies, the overall demand for workers in the industry has diminished between Q4 2022 and the first quarter of the current year.
Even with a cooling trend in the Canadian economy, the demand for truck drivers remains robust, underlining a sustained need for these roles. Craig Faucette, Chief Programs Officer at THRC, observes, “Vacancies for truck drivers have not shown a corresponding decline. As vacancies are projected to surge in the upcoming quarter, employers will continue to face challenges in fulfilling their workforce requirements.”
Drawing on data for April and May, Trucking HR Canada forecasts that labor shortages are likely to intensify throughout 2023.
During the first quarter, job vacancies saw an increase of 475 positions, totaling 17,640 unfilled roles. Specifically, truck driver vacancies rose by 1,520 positions, reaching 23,205 vacancies. An interesting point noted by Trucking HR Canada is that the number of truck driver vacancies surpassed those within the truck transportation sector. This is due to a considerable portion of truck drivers working in fields such as agriculture, construction, or mining, rather than exclusively within the trucking sector.
Furthermore, the percentage of vacant positions listed for over 90 days decreased to 49% in the quarter, down from the previous quarter’s 57%.