Photo: Contributed

The Okanagan Valley construction industry has a problem.

Work began on a record-setting number of new homes in the region last year, and as demand for labour swelled, local contractors found themselves unable to find enough qualified workers to meet the demand.

Jason Henderson, the CEO of the Southern Interior Construction Association, says the effect of that shortage is rippling throughout the valley, driving up the cost of building and forcing many to wait long periods (or pay big bucks) to find contractors.

Those short-term headaches are bad, but Henderson says an even more significant worker shortage is looming just over the horizon.

For the complete story, including how the local labour shortage is driving up the cost of building a home, as well as why new Canadians could be the solution, check out the full story on Castanet's sister business news website, Okanagan Edge.