Back

Wholesale Trade

Table of contents

Overview Workforce Employment Earnings

Location of work Employment outlook Related careers Additional resources

View full profile

Overview

Employment summary

Growth (2019-2020):

-0.1%

Job growth (2019-2020):

-100

Total employment (2020):

88,700

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Key points

The Wholesale industry accounts for a large portion of provincial employment.
The industry is sensitive to general economic conditions, as well as to changing consumer trends.
Most of the employment in this industry occurs in the regions with the highest populations: Mainland / Southwest and Vancouver Island / Coast.
Wages for most workers in this industry are below the provincial all-industry average.

Wholesalers can be thought of as “middle men,” usually supplying goods for resale or industrial use.

The Wholesale Trade industry includes everything from small corner stores to big-box chains and wholesale distribution centres.

Workforce

Gender

Employment by gender in 2020

Men: 50%

Women: 50%

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Provincial average in 2020

Men: 52%

Women: 48%

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Age groups

% of employees under 25 years of age

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

% of employees 55 years and older

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

N/A - Data not available

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Employment

Types of employment

	2015	2020	B.C. average (2020)
Part time (% of employees working part time)	2015 9%	2020 9%	B.C. average (2020) 21%
Self-employed (% of employees who are self-employed)	2015 18%	2020 15%	B.C. average (2020) 18%
Temporary jobs (% of employees in temporary jobs)	2015 4%	2020 2%	B.C. average (2020) 11%

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Workplace

% of workers in firms less than 20 employees

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

% of workers in private sector jobs

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Unemployment rate

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Earnings

Average hourly wages in this industry

Men

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Women

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Youth

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Location of work

% employment of this industry

% employment of all industries

Vancouver Island / Coast

Mainland / Southwest

Thompson-Okanagan

Kootenay

Cariboo

North Coast & Nechako

Northeast

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Employment outlook

			2019	2024	2029
Forecasted employment			2019 83,600	2024 88,200	2029 91,300

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted average annual employment growth rate

2019 - 2024
2024 - 2029

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted industry share of total employment

2019
2024
2029

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Technical sales specialists - wholesale trade (NOC 6221)

Sales and account representatives - wholesale trade (non-technical) (NOC 6411)

Retail salespersons (NOC 6421)

Material handlers (NOC 7452)

Additional resources

Industry Canada
http://www.strategis.ic.gc.ca/engdoc/main.html

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

Retail Council of Canada
https://www.retailcouncil.org/

Retail Wholesale Union
http://www.rwunion.com

Shelfspace – The Association for Retail Entrepreneurs
http://www.shelfspace.ca

Save this profile

Latest numbers for B.C. in November 2021