Was COVID the Impetus for Change the Construction Industry Needed to Embrace the Digital Revolution?

  • January 09, 2021
  • Karen Groulx, Dragana Bukejlovic and Karl Schober, Dentons Canada LLP

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has provided the impetus for the increased use of technology in many industries – including the construction industry, which has historically been criticized for having productivity problems and being slow to embrace new technology. 

Statistics are always interesting and help to paint a picture of what is actually happening.  It is interesting to note that construction employs about 7 percent of the world’s population and that globally, $10 trillion is spent on construction-related goods and services every year accounting for 13 percent of world output. [1]   

BuildForce Canada[2] has reported that employment in Canada’s construction and maintenance industry is anticipated to grow by 50,200 workers by 2029, with the anticipated retirement of more than 257,000 construction workers over that same period, projecting that the industry will need to recruit more than 307,000 workers over the next decade to keep pace with demand.