Industries with the Highest Labor Costs in Canada in 2025

1. Commercial Banking in Canada

Labor Costs for 2025: $48.5B

Despite low interest rates and some hiccups in economic growth, commercial banks in Canada have expanded throughout 2023. Banks have done an exceptional job diversifying revenue streams, overcoming limits imposed by low interest rates, and increasing regulations. The industry primarily generates revenue through interest income sources, such as business loans and mortgages, but it also generates income through noninterest sources, which include fees on a variety of services and commissions. Industry revenue has been growing at a CAGR of 2.2% over the past five years and is expected to total $275.4 billion in 2023, when revenue will likely jump an... Learn More

2. Engineering Services in Canada

Labor Costs for 2025: $17.8B

The Engineering Services industry in Canada, which provide consulting, design, feasibility studies and technical services for a variety of projects, has grown as a result of improved downstream demand from several key markets, especially commodities-driven industries. Through 2020, the low prices of oil and has limited growth, with the COVID-19 pandemic execrating the decline in global demand. However, rapid growth in oil and gas prices in both 2021 and 2022 has driven a tremendous upswing in new demand from oil, gas and mining clients, propelling industry revenue to rise 13.6% in 2022 alone. Despite volatility, industry revenue is forecast to... Learn More

3. Full-Service Restaurants in Canada

Labor Costs for 2025: $16.3B

The Full-Service Restaurants industry in Canada has experienced an expansion in performance over the past five years, as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic erased several years of steady growth, but a forecast strong recovery offset this trend. Before the pandemic, rising per capita disposable income and consumer spending levels drove industry expansion. However, the pandemic created an unprecedented and steep fall in industry revenue, leading to widespread layoffs and closures. While remaining restaurants have adapted to unfavourable operating conditions by offering takeout and delivery options, depressed sales and rising costs have led to poor profitability among industry establishments. However, industry revenue... Learn More

4. Sporting Goods Stores in Canada

Labor Costs for 2025: $15.9B

The Sporting Goods Stores industry in Canada has withstood challenges from intense competition, with sales of bicycles, camping equipment, exercise and fitness equipment, apparel and footwear ultimately expected to grow. The industry was able to withstand the COVID-19 pandemic, rebounding on account of strong per capita disposable income growth and a renewed interest in pursuing athletic hobbies by Canadians. Nonetheless, the pandemic contributed to a challenging retail environment that has fared with competition from discount department stores and e-commerce sites, alternative outlets that are typically able to offer lower prices and a wider variety of goods to consumers. Overall, industry... Learn More

5. Supermarkets & Grocery Stores in Canada

Labor Costs for 2025: $13.0B

Supermarkets and grocery stores comprise Canada's most significant food retail channel. These establishments retail general lines of food products, including fresh and prepared meats, poultry and seafood, canned and frozen foods, fresh fruits and vegetables and various dairy products. The industry performed well in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, as high incomes and Canada's rising population boosted demand for foodstuffs. Since everything was shut down during the pandemic, it became a favorite pastime for households to go food shopping. This raised demand for groceries and caused revenue to surge in 2020.

Droughts, supply chain disruptions and the conflict in... Learn More

6. Fast Food Restaurants in Canada

Labor Costs for 2025: $11.4B

The Fast Food Restaurants industry in Canada has expanded over the past five years, driven by higher consumer spending and product innovation. However, mounting internal competition and changing consumer tastes have pressured revenue growth during the same period. Products with higher profit, such as coffee and smoothies, have become more prominent at traditional fast-food restaurants. Furthermore, meal customization and high-quality ingredients have become increasingly popular in recent years, inducing major players in the industry to reconsider their overall strategy and menu offerings. Altogether, industry revenue is expected to rise at an annualized rate of 1.5% to $34.8 billion over the... Learn More

7. Electricians in Canada

Labor Costs for 2025: $10.9B

The Electricians industry in Canada provides an essential service for the construction of new buildings, in addition to homeowners and businesses in need of electrical repair or installation work. Industry operators run electrical and telecommunications wire and cabling through the internal structure of buildings. Additionally, they can be contracted for climate control, fire safety and fibre optic cable installations. They also perform work for large-scale industrial projects, such as factories and energy infrastructure, in addition to commercial or institutional buildings, such as office buildings and hospitals. The industry's largest companies pursue these lucrative contracts, while most contractors operate on a... Learn More

8. Oil & Gas Field Services in Canada

Labor Costs for 2025: $8.8B

Oil and gas field service operators in Canada have experienced volatile market conditions throughout 2023. World commodity prices performed well throughout the reporting period. However, a fall in natural gas and crude oil prices adversely affected revenue in 2020 and 2032. This decrease in revenue can be mainly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and other geopolitical tensions that caused the collapse in oil and gas demand and prices. As economic conditions improved from the peak of the pandemic, demand for oil and gas returned to pre-pandemic levels and even reached new highs. As a result, IBISWorld forecasts revenue has been... Learn More

9. Day Care in Canada

Labor Costs for 2025: $8.5B

The industry provides care for infants or young children that are typically under the age of five. Additionally, operators may offer prekindergarten programs and care for older children when they are not in school. Over the five years to 2023, increased government consumption and investment and the rising number of women in the workforce have driven industry demand. As the maternal labour participation rate increases, fewer parents are available to take care of infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children. In addition, government subsidies have been critical in enabling families to afford the cost of day care. The COVID-19 pandemic is expected... Learn More

10. Management Consulting in Canada

Labor Costs for 2025: $8.2B

Management consulting in Canada is composed of companies that provide consulting services to private businesses and the public sector. These advisory services are tailored to provide strategic, financial, marketing, operational and supply chain management consulting services. Businesses partake in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures and initial public offerings based on their expectations of what the future holds. Although the company provides countercyclical services that support industry revenue during economic downturns, the COVID-19 pandemic hindered industry operations in unprecedented ways in 2020. Revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.0% to $23.9 billion over the years to 2023,... Learn More