January 27, 2026
Discover how real-time job costing tools like ProjectWatchPRO empower contractors to optimize scarce labor, control costs, and boost profitability in the face of a 349,000-worker U.S. shortage and similar Canadian challenges in 2026. Essential strategies for construction, trades, and fabrication companies.
Just last week, the Associated Builders and Contractors warned that the industry needs to bring in 349,000 new workers in 2026 to keep up with demand—yet macroeconomic headwinds, rising material costs, and ongoing shortages make every crew hour and every dollar count more than ever. For project-based businesses in construction, field services, and infrastructure, the real challenge isn’t just finding workers—it’s squeezing maximum productivity and profitability from the ones you have. Without crystal-clear visibility into live costs, even well-planned jobs can quietly bleed margins through overtime creep, inefficient scheduling, or unrecovered consumables.
In regions like Alberta, Canada, where infrastructure pushes such as Calgary’s feeder main replacements and broader renewal efforts are ramping up alongside housing initiatives like Build Canada Homes, these pressures are amplified. Contractors here face not only U.S.-style labor constraints but also local factors like a projected shortfall of 108,000 workers over the next decade across Canada, with BuildForce Canada estimating a need for 351,800 new hires by 2033 to replace retirees and meet demand. This blog explores how shifting focus to planned, ongoing projects—where cost control, visibility, and proactive decision-making are critical priorities from day one—positions real-time tools as essential for thriving, not just surviving.
Keep reading this blog on projectwatchpro.com
Explore related articles you won’t want to miss:
Profit Management Dies With Month-Old Data: Why Real-Time Visibility Is No Longer Optional
