Labour Market Information

2022 – 2023

Workforce Insights Survey

We’re conducting our annual Workforce Insights Survey in collaboration with the Association of Industry Sector Councils (AISC). This survey will help us to understand the challenges employers are facing, to quantify key labour market information, and to provide a user-friendly dashboard to help inform business decision-making. Stay tuned for the launch of our dashboard this spring!

Your answers help us build a stronger Nova Scotian workforce.

AISC full results can be found here where you can filter by sector.

Forestry Sector Council full colour logo.

2021 – 2022

Workforce Insights Survey

View full 2021 survey results

Forestry Workforce

This section provides insights into the workforce size of the 70 forestry organizations that responded to the survey.

Wages in Nova Scotia

Wage insights from the survey have been provided by the 14 industry sector councils relating to the most in-demand occupations in each sector. A low wage was defined at the 10th percentile, the median defined at the 50th percentile, while a high wage was considered to be the 90th percentile of the available wage data.

All sectors average wage ranges

Based on responses from 791 employers across Nova Scotia.

$15

per hour

LOW WAGE

$22

per hour

MEDIAN WAGE

$36

per hour

HIGH WAGE

Forestry sector wage ranges

Based on responses from 70 employers across Nova Scotia.

$17

per hour

LOW WAGE

$22

per hour

MEDIAN WAGE

$27

per hour

HIGH WAGE

Occupation
Reponses
Low Wage
Median Wage
High Wage
Silviculture Worker 30 $17.00 $20.00 $25.00
Forestry Machine Operator 18 $19.40 $22.50 $26.50
Sawmill Machine Operator 10 $17.90 $21.00 $24.30
Millwright 6 $27.00 $29.00 $30.00
Logging Truck Driver 6 $20.50 $23.00 $29.50
Totals 70 $17.00 $22.00 $27.20

Forestry median hourly wage by region

Hover over a region to view median hourly wage.

NS Hot Spot Map Cape Breton Northern Halifax Valley South Shore

Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives

This section provides insights into the specific activities and initiatives that workplaces in Nova Scotia are implementing related to diversity, equity and inclusion. These initiatives create a culturally safe, just and inclusive workplace for individuals from a variety of communities, including people from different races and ethnicities, abilities, religions, cultures, sexual orientations and genders.

All sectors targeted recruitment practices

*Based on responses from 170 employers across Nova Scotia.

  • 51.8% of workplaces conduct general recruitment outreach to underrepresented groups.

  • 43.4% of workplaces target job advertisements to underrepresented groups.

  • 35.9% of workplaces target recruitment outreach to community leaders from underrepresented groups.

  • 34.7% of workplaces target recruitment campaigns on social media to underrepresented groups.

  • 34.7% of workplaces target recruitment outreach to underrepresented groups via community service providers like ISANS, MEBO or BBI.

  • 27.1% of workplaces are cultivating a talent pipeline by engaging with youth from underrepresented groups in schools or other youth programs.

Current diversity, equity and inclusion practices in the workplace

*Based on responses from 1,208 employers across Nova Scotia.

  • 16.8% of workplaces have initiatives and training for diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

  • 23.5% of workplaces have taken steps to ensure a workplace is accessible for an employee with a disability.

  • 65.7% of workplaces are open to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace with supporting tools and resources.

DID YOU KNOW? 

In Nova Scotia

  • Approximately 75% of our province is forested.

  • Prior to the closure of Northern Pulp, the forestry industry in Nova Scotia accounted for $2.1 billion dollars in economic impact, with $800 million being attributed to the provincial GDP.

  • There are approximately 30,000 individuals and families that own 50% of the land in Nova Scotia’s forestry industry.

  • On average, 50% of a harvest tree ended up at Northern Pulp to be turned into pulp prior to closure; the industry has had no replacement for this service since its closure.

DID YOU KNOW? 

In Canada