Principal statistics, workforce, 20241, 2, 3

Note to readers

Beginning with reference year 2019, Statistics Canada is responsible for the collection, processing and release of mineral and metal production statistics under the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada’s Table 16-10-0031 and Table 16-10-0032 present mining industry principal statistics for over 20 variables.

Data for Quebec are collected by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.

Historical data for reference years 2007 to 2018 are available here.

Publication Changes

The publication of some principal statistics has been modified from the historical categories included in Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) publication of workforce data.

The modification includes the following:

  • Total Activity vs. Mining Activity – Historically, NRCan published Total Activity and Mining Activity workforce statistics separately, where Mining Activity only included direct (“production and related workers”) labour and salaries, and Total Activity included both direct and indirect (“all other employees”) labour and related salaries. All statistics below align with the historical Total Activity category; refer to Statistics Canada’s tables for a breakdown of workforce statistics by indirect and direct labour.

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Workforce statistics summary

Category Unit Metal ore mining Non-metallic mineral mining Aggregates, clay and refractory mineral mining and quarrying
Total salaries, wages and commissions Thousands of dollars 5,445,368 1,426,307 877,096
Total number of employees4 Persons 45,799 11,946 11,423
Male Persons 39,273 10,751 9,432
Female Persons 6,515 1,194 1,930
Data valid as of June 03 2026
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Metallic industry

Metallic industry by NAICS

NAICS Total salaries, wages and commissions Total number of employees4
Male Female Total
Thousands of dollars Persons
Iron ore mining [21221] 1,080,727 x x 7,893
Gold and silver ore mining [21222] 2,204,435 15,637 2,809 18,447
Copper, nickel, lead and zinc ore mining [21223] 1,667,404 13,618 1,842 15,468
Lead-zinc ore mining [212231] 23,000 220 10 230
Nickel-copper ore mining [212232] 790,010 6,833 657 7,490
Copper-zinc ore mining [212233] 854,394 6,565 1,175 7,748
Other metal ore mining [21229] 492,802 x x 3,991
Uranium ore mining [212291] x x x x
All other metal ore mining [212299] x x 243 x
Metal ore mining [2122] 5,445,368 39,273 6,515 45,799
Data valid as of June 03 2026
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Metallic industry by province or territory

Province or territory Total salaries, wages and commissions Total number of employees4
Male Female Total
Thousands of dollars Persons
Newfoundland and Labrador x x x x
Prince Edward Island .. .. .. ..
Nova Scotia .. .. .. ..
New Brunswick .. .. .. ..
Quebec 1,605,569 10,502 1,687 12,190
Ontario 1,740,947 13,445 1,706 15,151
Manitoba 128,663 1,818 325 2,143
Saskatchewan x x x x
Alberta .. .. .. ..
British Columbia x x x x
Yukon 46,150 613 86 699
Northwest Territories .. .. .. ..
Nunavut x x x x
Canada 5,445,368 39,273 6,515 45,799
Data valid as of June 03 2026
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Nonmetallic industry

Nonmetallic industry by NAICS

NAICS Total salaries, wages and commissions Total number of employees4
Male Female Total
Thousands of dollars Persons
Other non-metallic mineral
mining and quarrying [21239]
 1,426,307 10,751 1,194 11,946
Diamond mining [212392] x x x x
Salt mining [212393] 119,969 x x 1,301
Gypsum mining [212395] x x x x
Potash mining [212396] 927,152 6,147 533 6,680
Peat extraction [212397] 124,420 x x 1,925
All other non-metallic
mineral mining and quarrying
[212398]
 23,640 228 51 279
Non-metallic mineral mining [2123] 1,426,307 10,751 1,194 11,946
Data valid as of June 03 2026
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Nonmetallic industry by province or territory

Province or territory Total salaries, wages and commissions Total number of employees4
Male Female Total
Thousands of dollars Persons
Newfoundland and Labrador x x x x
Prince Edward Island x x x x
Nova Scotia 14,133 x x x
New Brunswick 45,282 805 74 879
Quebec 80,655 692 118 811
Ontario 92,315 860 83 943
Manitoba 19,065 219 67 286
Saskatchewan 944,360 6,341 578 6,919
Alberta 9,239 x 36 x
British Columbia x x x x
Yukon .. .. .. ..
Northwest Territories 214,194 1,477 205 1,682
Nunavut .. .. .. ..
Canada 1,426,307 10,751 1,194 11,946
Data valid as of June 03 2026
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Aggregate industry

Aggregate industry by NAICS

NAICS Total salaries, wages and commissions Total number of employees4
Male Female Total
Thousands of dollars Persons
Stone mining and quarrying [21231] 242,131 2,811 592 3,463
Granite mining and quarrying [212314] 49,833 x x 754
Limestone mining and quarrying [212315] 149,226 1,725 348 2,074
Marble mining and quarrying [212316] x x x x
Sandstone mining and quarrying [212317] x x x x
Sand, gravel, clay, and ceramic and refractory minerals mining and quarrying [21232] 634,966 6,621 1,338 7,960
Sand and gravel, mining and quarrying [212323] x x x x
Shale, clay and refractory mineral mining and quarrying [212326] x x x x
Aggregates, clay and refractory mineral mining and quarrying [2123] 877,096 9,432 1,930 11,423
Data valid as of June 03 2026
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Aggregate industry by province or territory

Province or territory Total salaries, wages and commissions Total number of employees4
Male Female Total
Thousands of dollars Persons
Newfoundland and Labrador x x x x
Prince Edward Island .. .. .. ..
Nova Scotia 24,653 x x x
New Brunswick 10,390 x x x
Quebec 154,814 1,597 444 2,077
Ontario 303,013 3,390 502 3,917
Manitoba 22,898 x x x
Saskatchewan 22,123 282 40 322
Alberta x x x x
British Columbia 180,048 1,654 348 2,002
Yukon x x x x
Northwest Territories .. .. .. ..
Nunavut .. .. .. ..
Canada 877,096 9,432 1,930 11,423
Data valid as of June 03 2026
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For the symbols and abbreviations used in these tables, refer to:
Symbols and Abbreviations

Contact information

For any questions, contact the Minerals and Metals Statistics Division:
Email: Mineral Production Statistics Office
Web site: Mineral and Mining Statistics

Source: Statistics Canada

Note 1

The data are classified by industry based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

Note 2

The sum may not add up to the total due to rounding.

Note 3

These tables exclude the Oil and Gas Extraction Industry (NAICS 211).

Note 4

Total employees include employees who identify as a man, woman or non-binary person . As a result, the sum of male and female employee counts may not add up to the total employee count.

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