Utilities (NAICS 22): Ontario, 2025
Highlights
- There were 59,500 people employed in Ontario’s utilities industry, comprising 0.7% of the provincial workforce in 2024.
- Employment in Ontario’s utilities industry decreased by 7.8% in 2024.
- Despite this decrease, employment growth is expected to maintain an upward trend for the 2025-2027 forecast period, driven by the high demand for labour in the industry.
- Several initiatives and investments have been launched in the Ontario utilities sector to continue to innovate the energy sources that will form the electricity grid in the province in the coming years.
About the Sector
Composition and importance of the sector
The utilities industry is comprised of three sub-industries: electric power generation, transmission and distribution; natural gas distribution; and water, sewage and other systems.
The Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines sets the overall framework for the power, natural gas, and drinking water industries. The electricity and municipal water markets are largely public while the natural gas industry is mainly private.
In Ontario, the utilities industry comprised 0.7% of the total provincial workforce in 2024, with 59,500 people employed. This represents a decrease of 5,000 people (-7.8%) from 2023. The utilities industry across Canada also comprises 0.7% of the national workforce.
The Ontario utilities industry produced $16.1 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, contributing 1.8% to the province’s total GDP. This was an increase of 3.4% (+$530.6 million) from 2023.
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | Natural Gas Distribution | Water, Sewage and Other Systems | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 76% | 10% | 14% |
Description of graphic in accessible text
A pie graph that shows the breakdown of utilities employment by industry group in 2024. Electric power generation, transmission and distribution accounts for the largest share of employment at 76%, followed by water, sewage and other systems (14%), and natural gas distribution (10%).
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Table
Geographical distribution of employment
A moderate share of employment in the Ontario utilities industry is found in the Toronto Economic Region (ER) (39.2%), followed by Stratford-Bruce Peninsula ER (15.6%) and Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie ER (9.6%).
Ontario represents 38.9% of the Canadian employment in utilities, slightly lower than the province’s share of Canada’s employment as a whole (39.3%).
Employment in the Ontario utilities industry is highly over-represented in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula ER, due to the presence of the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station, as well as in Muskoka-Kawarthas ER and Northwest ER. On average, between 2022 and 2024, the utilities industry accounted for 4.6% of employment in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula ER, compared to 0.8% for Ontario as a whole, and 1.7% of employment for both the Muskoka-Kawarthas ER and Northwest ER.
| Ottawa | 2,400 | 4.0% |
| Kingston-Pembroke | n/a | n/a |
| Muskoka-Kawarthas | 2,300 | 3.9% |
| Toronto | 23,300 | 39.2% |
| Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie | 5,700 | 9.6% |
| Hamilton-Niagara Peninsula | 4,500 | 7.6% |
| London | 2,300 | 3.9% |
| Windsor-Sarnia | 4,200 | 7.1% |
| Stratford-Bruce Peninsula | 9,300 | 15.6% |
| Northeast | 2,400 | 4.0% |
| Northwest | 1,800 | 3.0% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Table
*Note: Totals may not sum due to rounding.
Workforce
Workforce characteristics
- Males accounted for about 76.1% of Ontario’s utilities workforce in 2024, compared to 52.8% for all industries.
- Youth (aged 15 to 24) in the province made up 3.7% of utilities employees, compared to 12.6% for all industries.
- Virtually all workers in this industry were employees in 2024 (99.8%), with almost no self-employment, compared to 13.5% self-employment across all industries in Ontario.
- About 47.9% of employees in the sector had post-secondary certificates or diplomas in 2024, considerably higher than the average across all industries in the province (31.3%).
- The average hourly wage in utilities was $49.76 in 2024, notably above the provincial average of $30.50.
| 92100 Power engineers and power systems operators | 5,400 | 9.1% |
|---|---|---|
| 90011 Utilities managers | 4,900 | 8.2% |
| 92011 Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities | 4,900 | 8.2% |
| 92101 Water and waste treatment plant operators | 4,100 | 6.9% |
| 72203 Electrical power line and cable workers | 3,200 | 5.4% |
| 72400 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 2,300 | 3.9% |
| 22310 Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | 2,000 | 3.4% |
| 72202 Power system electricians | 2,000 | 3.4% |
| 21301 Mechanical engineers | 1,800 | 3.0% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Table
Note: The NOCs listed make up approximately half of those employed in the sector.
Recent History
Electric power generation, transmission and distribution
Ontario is the second largest producer of electricity in Canada. In general, there has been a significant shift in the sources of electricity used in the province over the past decade. Nuclear and renewable power such as water, solar, and wind are becoming more dominant, as the use of fossil-fuelled power declines. After two years of growth from 2021 to 2023, employment decreased in the sub-industry in 2024 by 5.9% (-2,800).
The Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is in the process of carrying out major refurbishment projects at its nuclear power facilities. Work began on four reactors at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station (GS) in October 2016, which is expected to be completed by 2026. The project, one of Canada’s largest clean energy initiatives, will extend reactor life by 30 years, support operations at the site until 2055, and cost $12.8 billion to complete. Likewise, Bruce Power started refurbishment activities on six reactors at its Bruce Nuclear GS in 2020. The project will extend the lifetime of the plant until 2064 and will cost $13.0 billion over 13 years. As some reactors will be shut down throughout these projects, OPG will delay the closure of the Pickering Nuclear GS to 2026 to help meet energy needs, with subsequent refurbishment to be completed by the mid-2030s.
In October 2025, the Government of Ontario and Government of Canada announced investments of $1 billion and $2 billion, respectively, in the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP), to support the construction of the first small modular reactors in the G7. Once complete, the DNNP will produce 1,200 megawatts of clean electricity and provide significant employment opportunities for industry.
Natural gas distribution
Employment in natural gas distribution in Ontario decreased in 2024 by 20.5% (-1,600) after two years of notable growth in 2022 (+79.3%) and 2023 (+48.1%). However, expansion of the province’s natural gas network is ongoing.
Ontario launched the Natural Gas Expansion Program (NGEP) in 2019 to reduce energy costs and improve access in rural, northern, Indigenous communities, and businesses. Phase 2 of the NGEP allocated $234 million to support 8,750 new connections across 43 communities, including two Indigenous communities, with construction spanning 2021 to 2025. In 2024, Enbridge Gas broke ground on its $358 million Panhandle Region Expansion Project in Chatham-Kent to boost transmission capacity for residential, commercial, and industrial users, with a pipeline being officially in service in January 2025.
Water, sewage and other systems
Employment in this sub-industry saw a significant increase of 46.6% in 2022. Despite a notable decrease in 2023 (-18.7%) and 2024 (-6.7%), employment has remained above pre-pandemic levels.
Several projects are underway throughout Ontario to replace aging water infrastructure, expand access, and train certified operators, given that more than 80% of Ontario residents get their drinking water from municipal residential drinking water systems. A major part of the infrastructure rollout is to help eliminate long-term drinking water advisories and provide a reliable source of clean drinking water to First Nation communities. For example, in 2024, the provincial government provided a total investment of $1.2 billion for 77 water infrastructure projects across nearly 90 municipalities, under the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund. To further support municipalities in financing water infrastructure projects, an additional $1 billion in loans was announced by the provincial government in November 2024 via the Housing-Enabling Water Infrastructure lending stream.
| Year | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | 100.0 | 99.6 | 104.6 | 97.0 | 106.2 | 103.0 | 99.8 | 107.4 | 123.3 | 129.8 | 119.7 |
| GDP | 100.0 | 101.2 | 108.0 | 104.4 | 106.5 | 107.8 | 107.2 | 104.7 | 113.0 | 115.3 | 119.3 |
| Electric Power Selling Price | 100.0 | 103.1 | 106.1 | 107.2 | 111.4 | 114.8 | 114.4 | 114.3 | 123.9 | 136.2 | 125.4 |
Description of graphic in accessible text
This line graph shows changes in three indicators related to Ontario’s utilities sector over a 10-year period. Employment has fluctuated since 2014, before increasing between 2020 and 2023. Employment fell slightly in 2024. In comparison, GDP has been growing slowly. Electric power selling price has also been on a steady upward trajectory since 2014 before falling in 2024.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Table; Statistics Canada, Gross Domestic Product by Industry - Provincial and Territorial (Annual), Table 36-10-0711-01; and Statistics Canada, Electric Power Selling Price Index (monthly), Table 18-10-0204-01
*Data are expressed as an index, where year 2014 = 100%
Employment Outlooks
The outlook for Ontario’s utilities industry continues to exhibit an upward trajectory for the 2025-2027 forecast period for workers.
By 2050, electricity is projected to account for 40 to 45% of Canada’s energy mix, a significant increase from the current 18%. As Ontario makes the shift from fossil fuel energy production to renewable energy sources, there will be increased pressure on the power grid to meet the growing demand for electricity. The shift is changing the way energy is generated, stored, and monitored, with major public and private investments being made in renewables and innovative processes to support the transition, which should consequently support increased demand for a clean energy workforce. Electric arc furnaces, electric vehicle battery manufacturing, and data centres also represent new direct and indirect sources of workforce and energy demand.
Although the role of natural gas in the province will likely shrink over time, lower levels of employment should persist due to its reliability for electricity backup and heating cost-effectiveness. Moreover, renewable natural gas, hydrogen blending and carbon capture will allow the energy source to remain in use while still upholding the province’s goal to lower carbon emissions.
As a policy priority for all levels of government, intensive housing construction to address ongoing housing affordability and availability issues is an impetus for increased water and wastewater infrastructure system development. Accordingly, water, sewage and other related systems employment levels should remain stable with potential for growth due to sustained infrastructure investments by the provincial and federal governments.
Canada’s energy labour force as a whole is growing at a steady rate and is expected to employ nearly 640,000 people by 2030. However, a concern for the utilities industry is its older workforce. A survey of employers in Canada’s electricity sector workforce revealed a significant age imbalance, with nearly three times as many employees aged 55 or older compared to those aged 15 to 24. Further, competition with other sectors that require similar skills will impact the sector’s ability to recruit the required talent. As such, this will likely constrain future growth in output and sector employment.
Key trends affecting the outlook of the utilities sector
- An overall movement towards decarbonization, electrification, and the adoption of renewable energy.
- Major investments in province-wide water and wastewater systems that support mass housing development.
- Skilled talent shortages in the clean energy sector.
For Further Information
Note: In preparing this document, the authors have taken care to provide clients with labour market information that is timely and accurate at the time of publication. Since labour market conditions are dynamic, some of the information presented here may have changed since this document was published. Users are encouraged to also refer to other sources for additional information on the local economy and labour market. Information contained in this document does not necessarily reflect official policies of Employment and Social Development Canada.
Portions of this sector profile were prepared with support from artificial intelligence (AI) tools, in accordance with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) guidelines. All AI-assisted content has been reviewed for accuracy and compliance with ESDC standards.
Prepared by: Labour Market and Socio-economic Information Directorate, Service Canada, Ontario Region
For further information, please contact the Labour Market Information Directorate.
Appendix
| 2022-2024 Average | 2022-2024 Average | |
| Ontario | 100.0% | 0.8% |
| Ottawa | 5.5% | 0.4% |
| Kingston-Pembroke | 2.2% | 0.6% |
| Muskoka-Kawarthas | 5.3% | 1.7% |
| Toronto | 38.0% | 0.6% |
| Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie | 10.6% | 0.8% |
| Hamilton-Niagara Peninsula | 8.5% | 0.6% |
| London | 3.4% | 0.5% |
| Windsor-Sarnia | 5.7% | 1.0% |
| Stratford-Bruce Peninsula | 12.3% | 4.6% |
| Northeast | 5.0% | 1.1% |
| Northwest | 2.8% | 1.7% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Table
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment, 2024 | Share of Total (%) | AAGR (%)* | Share of Total (%) | AAGR (%)* | |
| Employment | 59,500 | 100.0% | 2.1% | 100.0% | 1.8% |
| Male | 45,300 | 76.1% | 1.5% | 52.8% | 1.9% |
| Female | 14,300 | 24.0% | 5.3% | 47.2% | 1.7% |
| 15-24 years old | 2,200 | 3.7% | 4.6% | 12.6% | 1.0% |
| 25-54 years old | 43,300 | 72.8% | 1.7% | 66.2% | 1.8% |
| 55 years and older | 14,000 | 23.5% | 7.0% | 21.2% | 2.6% |
| Worked full-time | 58,900 | 99.0% | 2.0% | 82.4% | 2.1% |
| Worked part-time | n/a | n/a | n/a | 17.6% | 0.8% |
| Self-employed | n/a | n/a | n/a | 13.5% | 0.9% |
| Employees | 59,400 | 99.8% | 2.1% | 86.5% | 2.0% |
| Permanent job | 56,000 | 94.1% | 2.5% | 77.0% | 2.2% |
| Temporary job | 3,400 | 5.7% | 4.7% | 9.5% | 0.8% |
| Less than high school | n/a | n/a | n/a | 5.8% | -2.0% |
| High school graduate | 5,000 | 8.4% | -1.2% | 21.2% | -0.9% |
| Postsecondary cert. or diploma | 28,500 | 47.9% | 0.3% | 31.3% | 1.3% |
| University degree | 24,200 | 40.7% | 7.1% | 41.7% | 5.1% |
Sources: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Custom Tables
*Average annual growth rate for last ten years available data
** Note: totals may not sum due to rounding
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