As Canada’s auto industry undergoes its biggest transition, government is looking to future proof the sector’s labour force

Natural Resources Canada has released a new online list of training programs across Canada that offer certification in zero-emission auto maintenance and repairs.

The NRCan zero-emission vehicle technician training opportunities webpage is part of a larger package of initiatives launched by the federal government to encourage enrolment in the skilled trades, including automotive services, using financial backing through its Sustainable Jobs Fund.

The concern is that Canada’s labour force lacks the new skills needed to support the country’s burgeoning electric vehicle industry.

Users may search for training opportunities that are available either online or in locations near them. Users are also able to determine the kinds of skills they will learn and whether a program requires full or part-time attendance.

Mind the (skills) gap

The industry has found itself in the midst of a perfect storm of concurrent events: not enough auto technicians to meet demand; a relatively small number of workers skilled in electric vehicle assembly, maintenance and repair; and a steady rise in sales of zero-emission cars. All of which has caused industry insiders to raise concerns about sector stability.

Canada’s auto industry labour pool shrank during the pandemic (operating revenue in maintenance and repair services declined by 5.3 per cent between 2019 and 2020) and has yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, according to data gathered by Statistics Canada.

More notable, still, is the decline in national automotive apprenticeship registrations.

In 2020, new registrations in automotive skills training programs fell by 35 per cent relative to the prior year.

The shortage of skilled labour in repairs and maintenance, particularly for zero-emission vehicles,  is creating a troubling number of job vacancies: as of Q3 2023, the auto industry reported 11,965 job vacancies versus 5,730 in 2021.

Meanwhile, sales of battery-electric cars remain fairly robust.

Statistics Canada reports that between 2020 and 2022, registrations for zero-emission vehicles rose by 135 per cent and plug-in hybrids by 79 per cent. Less rosy were sales figures for new gas vehicles which dropped by 6.6 per cent.

What to do next

Tackling the labour shortage will require coordinated efforts from the public and private sectors.

To date, 32 different private institutions and organizations across Canada offer 47 programs or courses in automotive services. The majority of those are in Ontario (22), followed by B.C. and Quebec with eight and seven courses on offer, respectively.

At the federal government level, the Sustainable Jobs Fund supports programming that offers either the opportunity to upgrade mechanical skills or introductory courses for aspiring EV technicians. 

Ontario has also stepped up as has B.C. through the province’s CleanBC Go Electric program. Quebec committed more than $7 million to a three-year program that offers courses on the maintenance of electric and hybrid heavy-duty vehicles.

The Ontario government provided $4.7 million to support two projects that will assist more than 360 people find employment in the automotive manufacturing sector.

One of the recipients of provincial support is the Automotive Industries Association of Canada, which assists technicians and jobseekers in securing the skills needed to transition into the EV industry.