Heavy equipment operators in Côte-Nord

The employment outlook will be Very limited for heavy equipment operators (NOC 73400) in the Côte-Nord and Nord-du-Québec regions for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
• A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

This occupation is found mainly in the construction industry.

In recent years, activity levels in civil engineering projects have reached record highs, while they are expected to increase only slightly during the forecast period. As some projects reach completion, others will begin, including the construction of bridges, wind farms, and power lines.

Part of the demand for these operators also depends on other construction sub-sectors, primarily site preparation. As such, the recovery in residential construction will continue to support this occupation in the coming years. Meanwhile, non-residential construction is expected to remain relatively stable.

Here are some key facts about heavy equipment operators in the Côte-Nord and Nord-du-Québec regions:

• Approximately 1,100 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
• Heavy equipment operators mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Construction (NAICS 23): 44%
  • Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (NAICS 21): 17%
  • Forestry and logging (NAICS 113, 1153): 12%
  • Wood product manufacturing (NAICS 321): 11%