Supply Chain Sector

Facts and Figures

Canadian Supply
Chain Sector Council
Products and Resources
Available to Stakeholders
Recruitment and Retention
Toolkit
The R&R Toolkit gives
employers the information and
resources they need to fill
positions in the supply chain
with qualified and committed
people.
LMI Toolkit
This toolkit provides links to
both historical data on supply
chain occupations across
Canada, which can be
dissected to address
information needs, and LMI
websites from around the world.
It also shows how to use the
valuable Working in Canada
resource.
Virtual HR Department
Especially for small and
medium-sized organizations,
the VHRD includes
downloadable information,
tools, templates, forms, policy
samples and more.
National Occupational
Standards for the Sector
Occupational standards can be
used by employers, employees
and educators or trainers in the
supply chain sector.
National Accreditation Program
The Council recognizes supply
chain-related educational and
training offerings that meet
national standards.
Education and Training
Compendium
This online database lists the
supply chain-related
educational and training
offerings of post-secondary
institutions, associations and
training providers across
Canada.

Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council

962 Fletcher Valley Crescent, Mississauga, Ontario L5J 2X7
T: 905-897-6700 E: info@supplychaincanada.org
W: www.supplychaincanada.org

What is a Supply Chain?

Definitions of a "supply chain" virtually
universally encompass the following three
functions: i. supply of materials to a
manufacturer; ii. the manufacturing process;
and, iii. the distribution of finished goods
through a network of distributors and
retailers to a final customer. Companies
involved in various stages of this process
are linked to each other through a supply
chain.
To facilitate the flow of products, information
is shared up and down the supply chain, i.e.
with suppliers and clients. This sharing of
information enables all parties to plan
appropriately to meet current and future
needs. Numerous goals can be achieved
through successful supply chain
management:

The annual labour force growth rate of the

supply chain sector was 2.23% from 2001
to 2010.

The sector added about 15,300 new jobs

per year between 2001 and 2010. As well
as an anticipated continuation of growth in
new jobs, the sector is expected to face a
vacancy rate of more than 80,000 jobs a
year due to retirements and turnover.

Interview and survey results from industry

participants indicate the following to be the
main human resources issues facing the
supply chain sector:

Attraction

Education and training

Keeping pace with technology

Succession and career planning

Employees identified the following skills

that they feel they require much more of
either now or in the next five years in order
to be successful in their jobs:

Financial planning

Forecasting

Cost analysis

Knowledge of international business

practices

Knowledge of laws and regulations

Knowledge of logistics functions and

the supply chain

Mechanical skills

Optimization of workflow

Knowledge of transportation

General management and business

Languages

Most organizations are not prepared for

the level of technological integration that
will be required to compete successfully.
In general, Canadian organizations lag in
both investing in and implementing new
technologies. Despite the number of
organizations that indicate that technology
is applied in their organization, few (<12%)
indicate they currently have the requisite
skills to fully employ technology.

inventory can be minimized

costs can be reduced
product time to market can be improved
flexibility can be enhanced

The more the companies within a supply

chain are able to integrate and coordinate
their activities, the more likely they'll be to
optimize the flow of goods from supplier to
customer and to react efficiently to changes
in demand.

The Sector
The supply chain is one of the most
essential sectors of the Canadian economy,
involving more than 767,000 workers from a
range of occupations and industries. The
success of this sector in meeting its human
resources and labour-market challenges has
the potential to positively influence the
future of Canada, and the quality of life that
we all enjoy.
The final report of the Strategic Human
Resources Study of the Supply Chain
Sector was published in October 2005, and
a labour-market update was completed in
May 2011. Sector highlights include the
following:

As of 2010, there were approximately

767,200 workers in the supply chain
sector labour force within Canada
(excluding truck drivers).

Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council

Supply Chain Sector Labour Force by Occupation1
Sub-function

Occupation
Category

NOC Code

Senior
Management

Managerial

0016

Managerial

0213

Logistics
Information
Systems

Managerial

Warehousing

9,551

4.2%

13,225

4.1%

19,038

3.0%

2172
2171
2175

Database analysts and data administrators

Information systems analysts and consultants
Web designers and developers

436
13,583
959

4.2%
4.2%
4.3%

0714

Facility operation and maintenance managers:

warehouse managers

24,372

0.3%

0132

Postal and courier services managers

2,535

-6.4%

1214

Supervisors, mail and message distribution

occupations

9,939

2.0%

7452

Material handlers

190,147

1.4%

76,552

1.7%

39,857

0.8%

3,479

-0.1%

9617
Operational

1522
7451

Transportation

0731
1315

Managers in transportation
Customs, ship and other brokers

24,030
3,917

-0.9%
-0.3%

Tactical

1526

Transportation route and crew schedulers

6,809

6.7%

Operational

1525
1521

Dispatchers
Shippers and receivers

2,792
132,161

2.5%
2.5%

0114

Other administrative services managers: e.g.,

inventory control managers

15,584

1.7%

1215

Supervisors, supply chain, tracking and scheduling

co-ordination occupations

32,155

5.0%

1524

Purchasing and inventory control workers: e.g.,

inventory analysts, procurement clerks

59,441

4.9%

954

1.7%

14,966
41,898
24,943

5.7%
4.6%
1.3%

3,899

2.1%

767,225

2.2%

Inventory/
Material Control
Tactical

1122
Managerial

Marketing and
Sales
TOTAL

Labourers in food, beverage and associated

products processing: material handling, packaging
Storekeepers and parts persons: e.g., parts
suppliers, supply clerks
Longshore workers: e.g., dock workers, ship
loader operators

Managerial

Managerial

Purchasing

Compound
Annual
Growth Rate
(2001-2010)

Senior managers construction, transportation,

production and utilities
Computer and information systems managers
Industrial engineering and manufacturing
technologists and technicians

2233
Tactical

Sample Position Titles

Supply Chain
Labour Force
2010

Tactical
Managerial

0113
1225
6222
0124

Professional occupations in business

management consulting
Purchasing managers
Purchasing agents and officers
Retail and wholesale buyers
Advertising, marketing and public relations
managers: e.g., sales and marketing managers

Sources: 2001, 2006 Census; Labour Force Survey; RDA Global Estimates (NAICS: 11, 21, 22, 31-33, 41, 44, 45, 48, 49, 51-56, 61, 62, 71, 72, 91)

Note that historical figures may not match figures previously published by CSCSC because they have been updated to reflect the effects of
population rebasing in the Labour Force Survey. For more information see: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/71f0031x/2011001/part-partie1-eng.htm

Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council

Supply Chain Sector Labour Force by Province1
PROVINCE
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Grand Total

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

62,850
67,255
21,922
12,636
7,241
14,366
265,242
2,188
159,634
15,772
629,108

66,096
70,103
22,354
12,976
7,424
14,697
271,635
2,218
162,086
16,081
645,670

69,342
72,950
22,782
13,314
7,606
15,028
278,010
2,246
164,532
16,391
662,201

72,587
75,797
23,208
13,644
7,789
15,359
284,377
2,274
166,841
16,686
678,560

75,820
78,638
23,634
13,947
7,971
15,689
290,738
2,298
169,089
16,974
694,798

79,036
81,453
24,060
14,251
8,152
16,003
297,043
2,317
171,333
17,263
710,910

81,582
83,420
24,397
14,480
8,386
16,272
299,743
2,369
171,664
17,558
719,872

85,280
86,439
25,137
15,003
8,799
16,809
305,900
2,470
174,055
18,185
738,077

87,630
88,040
25,537
15,376
9,100
17,140
306,509
2,586
173,577
18,589
744,083

91,994
91,681
26,546
16,204
9,636
17,948
313,737
2,801
177,207
19,471
767,225

Supply Chain Sector Labour Force for Selected Metro Areas1

CMA
Abbotsford
Calgary
Edmonton
Halifax
Hamilton
Kingston
Kitchener
London
Montral
Oshawa
Ottawa-Gatineau, Ontario
Ottawa-Gatineau, Quebec
Qubec
Regina
Saint John, NB
Saskatoon
Sherbrooke
St. Catharines - Niagara
St. John's, NL
Sudbury
Thunder Bay
Toronto
Trois-Rivires
Vancouver
Victoria
Windsor
Winnipeg

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

3,118
23,985
21,756
6,073
16,821
1,638
13,031
10,202
88,311
7,251
10,312
3,910
12,739
3,700
1,678
5,044
2,447
7,280
2,894
1,889
1,767
125,634
2,240
42,326
3,455
6,024
15,455

3,386
25,263
22,942
6,243
17,020
1,672
13,593
10,409
89,284
7,585
10,672
4,037
13,222
3,733
1,766
5,300
2,628
7,291
2,923
1,985
1,761
129,327
2,254
43,877
3,559
6,087
15,801

3,655
26,542
24,128
6,412
17,219
1,707
14,154
10,616
90,257
7,919
11,032
4,165
13,706
3,767
1,851
5,556
2,804
7,299
2,951
2,080
1,742
133,020
2,268
45,427
3,663
6,150
16,147

3,923
27,821
25,314
6,582
17,418
1,741
14,716
10,823
91,102
8,253
11,392
4,293
14,189
3,800
1,936
5,812
2,971
7,303
2,979
2,175
1,718
136,712
2,281
46,978
3,767
6,213
16,493

4,185
29,087
26,500
6,752
17,616
1,775
15,278
11,031
91,891
8,587
11,746
4,421
14,673
3,833
2,017
6,068
3,133
7,307
3,008
2,270
1,694
140,405
2,295
48,529
3,871
6,276
16,839

4,420
30,336
27,686
6,922
17,815
1,807
15,785
11,238
92,680
8,921
12,101
4,549
15,156
3,866
2,097
6,323
3,294
7,311
3,036
2,365
1,670
144,098
2,305
50,080
3,976
6,339
17,186

4,613
31,221
28,529
7,097
17,787
1,832
16,073
11,297
92,365
9,137
12,337
4,634
15,449
3,922
2,187
6,545
3,432
7,240
3,105
2,443
1,639
145,917
2,315
51,086
4,039
6,337
17,479

4,875
32,479
29,685
7,410
17,972
1,883
16,536
11,465
93,131
9,449
12,776
4,800
15,910
4,094
2,343
6,828
3,614
7,280
3,241
2,555
1,658
149,307
2,374
52,719
4,160
6,409
18,053

5,058
33,144
30,319
7,634
17,857
1,919
16,716
11,425
92,351
9,589
13,002
4,890
16,083
4,224
2,474
6,985
3,732
7,206
3,354
2,628
1,658
149,805
2,414
53,495
4,237
6,359
18,363

5,354
34,558
31,611
8,049
18,168
2,008
17,272
11,655
93,734
9,947
13,530
5,093
16,610
4,457
2,658
7,316
3,940
7,306
3,570
2,765
1,715
153,212
2,524
55,463
4,435
6,467
19,092

Sources: 2001, 2006 Census; Labour Force Survey; RDA Global Estimates (NAICS: 11, 21, 22, 31-33, 41, 44, 45, 48, 49, 51-56, 61, 62, 71, 72, 91)