Canada’s trade ambitions need a marine workforce to match

A recent study found that 86 per cent of marine employers are having difficulty recruiting, but the sector will need about 8,300 new workers by 2029 to meet demand and replace retirees—more than 30 per cent of its current workforce.

Canada is facing a serious shortage of trained mariners, and the gap between the workforce we have and the workforce we will need is growing, writes Sarah Myers.Pexels photograph courtesy of Simon Minshall

Opinion

BY SARAH MYERS

September 9, 2026

Canada has set an ambitious goal to diversify trade and send more Canadian products to markets beyond the United States.

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