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Agriculture and Fishing

Table of contents
Overview Workforce Employment Earnings
Location of work Employment outlook Related careers Additional resources
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Overview

Employment summary

Growth (2016-2017):
+10.0%
Job growth (2016-2017):
+2,500
Total employment (2017):
28,500

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Key points
  • Agriculture jobs are highly seasonal and often temporary.
  • Many workers in the industry are self-employed.
  • Wages for most workers are far below the provincial average.
  • Very few jobs in this industry are unionized.

The Agriculture industry includes businesses that are involved mainly in crop production, animal production and the provision of support services to the Forestry and Agriculture industry.

Crop production businesses include farms, orchards, groves, greenhouses and nurseries. Animal production businesses include ranches, farms, feedlots and similar businesses involved in raising and fattening animals and turning out animal products.

Workforce

Gender

Employment by gender in 2017

  Men: 62%
  Women: 38%

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Provincial average in 2017

  Men: 52%
  Women: 48%

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Age groups

% of employees under 25 years of age

  • 2012
  • 2017
  • B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

% of employees 55 years and older

  • 2012
  • 2017
  • B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Employment

Types of employment

2012 2017 B.C. average (2017)
Part time
(% of employees working part time)
2012
22%
2017
19%
B.C. average (2017)
22%
Self-employed
(% of employees who are self-employed)
2012
40%
2017
50%
B.C. average (2017)
18%
Temporary jobs
(% of employees in temporary jobs)
2012
34%
2017
27%
B.C. average (2017)
14%

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Workplace

% of workers in firms less than 20 employees

  • 2012
  • 2017
  • B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

% of workers in private sector jobs

  • 2012
  • 2017
  • B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Unemployment rate

  • 2012
  • 2017
  • B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Earnings

Average hourly wages in this industry

Men

  • 2012
  • 2017
  • B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Women

  • 2012
  • 2017
  • B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Youth

  • 2012
  • 2017
  • B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Location of work

Select your region:
Vancouver Island / Coast Mainland / Southwest Thompson-Okanagan Kootenay Cariboo Northeast North Coast & Nechako
  % employment of this industry
  % employment of all industries

Vancouver Island / Coast

Mainland / Southwest

Thompson-Okanagan

Kootenay

Cariboo

North Coast & Nechako

Northeast

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Employment outlook

2019 2024 2029
Forecasted employment
2019
25,400
2024
26,500
2029
26,500

Note:support activities for agriculture are not included

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted average annual employment growth rate

  • 2019 - 2024
  • 2024 - 2029

Note:support activities for agriculture are not included

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted industry share of total employment

  • 2019
  • 2024
  • 2029

Note:support activities for agriculture are not included

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Additional resources

B.C. Ministry of Agriculture
http://www.gov.bc.ca/agri/

BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation
http://www.aitc.ca/bc/

Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council
http://www.agritalent.ca/

Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia
http://iafbc.ca

North American Industry Classification System
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/concepts/industry-industrie-eng.htm

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Latest numbers for B.C. in January 2020
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