Urgently needed: more mining workers

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Canada’s mining industry entered 2026 with strong economic momentum. Commodity prices remain high, more than 130 mining projects are active across the country – and investment potential sits at roughly $117-billion. Yet mining is struggling to find enough people to keep pace with growth.

“Labour market data shows how important it is to prepare now to ensure mining has the talent it needs in the years ahead,” says Ryan Montpellier, executive director at the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR), Canada’s knowledge centre for mining labour market information. “Government and industry understand the critical need for mining workers and the importance of mining to Canada’s economic security – and are taking steps to strengthen the industry’s workforce.”

MiHR produces a 10-year labour market forecast. With a new report due to be released this year, the latest data highlights both opportunity and concern.

Mining and quarrying employment increased over 56 per cent since 2022, with September 2025 showing a record level of employment that surpassed 100,000 people. Employment in mining support activities also climbed to between 85,000 and 95,000 workers after a drop in 2023. At the same time, for the past three years, unemployment has stayed between 4 per cent and below 1 per cent, indicating that employers have drawn from the available labour pool and are struggling to find additional workers.

Mr. Montpellier says this is due to several factors, including an aging workforce and shrinking youth participation.

“The share of mining workers under 25 has dropped to about 6 per cent, retirements are accelerating – and national youth perception polling conducted by MiHR has shown career interest in mining ranking lowest compared to other sectors,” he explains. “This has led to shrinking mining-related post-secondary programs, a big concern as employers rely heavily on higher education as mining becomes more technologically advanced.”

Historically, mining has struggled to attract a diverse workforce. Women make up nearly half of Canada’s total workforce but only about 15 per cent in mining. Immigrants represent 35 per cent of Canada’s labour force but only 8 per cent in mining.

“One positive trend is Indigenous participation, now at about 12 per cent, one of the highest rates of any private sector,” says Mr. Montpellier.

The federal government’s Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan and Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy aim to address critical workforce challenges, of which assisting youth in developing skills to transition into the labour market, diversifying the workforce and creating prosperity for communities across the country are all key elements.

In support of government objectives, MiHR priorities include updating national occupational and training standards; expanding industry validated training for new workers and to upskill current workers; enhancing national worker certification through the Canadian Mining Certification Program; and increasing career awareness through targeted outreach and engagement activities to attract, recruit and retain new talent.

MiHR and industry partners also came together last year to deliver Mining Needs You, a national career awareness campaign for youth aged 15 to 24.

There is wide recognition – including from the Mining Association of Canada (MAC), the World Gold Council, the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) – of the need to engage youth in mining, says Mr. Montpellier, and this informs a campaign to dispel negative perceptions of mining, support industry recruitment and government objectives, attract youth to mining education and ultimately grow the talent supply.

“While the central campaign hub is MiningNeedsYou.ca, initiatives take place in various communities across the country,” he adds.

Also being piloted in 2026 is the Mining Industry Experience Program (MiEX), a paid, two-week program aiming to shift perceptions early by exposing mining industry-curious first-year post-secondary STEM students to real mine sites, modern mining practices and the economic impacts of mining. In May, program sponsors Agnico Eagle, Cameco, Newmont, Rio Tinto and Teck will welcome a total of 50 students.

“It is important to ensure the exploration and development industry is an attractive and exciting career path for the next generation,” Mr. Montpellier says. “Initiatives like Mining Needs You and MiEX are imperative to informing youth about – and exposing them to – the industry, its amazing careers and benefits to everyday life.”

Advertising feature produced by Randall Anthony Communications with the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.