Why is Canada’s manufacturing sector disappearing — and why isn’t anyone talking about it?
In this episode of Three Minutes, Stephen LeDrew speaks with Mike Dicerbo, a Toronto-area small business owner, about the alarming crisis facing Canadian manufacturing and skilled labour.
Dicerbo argues that some of Canada’s most important industries are slowly “dying on the vine” as older generations retire without enough younger workers replacing them. While trades like HVAC, electrical, and plumbing are attracting new interest, manufacturing itself continues to struggle with low wages, aging workforces, and declining cultural support.
The conversation explores:
- Why younger Canadians stopped entering manufacturing - The long-term impact of pushing university degrees over skilled work - The labour shortage facing factories and suppliers - Why trades are growing while manufacturing falls behind - The economic consequences of losing industrial capacity in Canada - And why small business owners are increasingly worried about the future
As Canada debates affordability, housing, and economic growth, this discussion raises a bigger question: what happens when a country stops building and making things for itself?
