The Canadian elevator industry has recently come under intense scrutiny, but many fail to realize the enormous economic and infrastructure benefits it provides us with. Elevators make life possible in our vertical city – and while they’re one of our most-used forms of transportation, they’re also one of the least understood. With so much negative press these days, we thought we’d extol the virtues of the Canadian elevator industry.
The keystone to our endless skyscrapers
Typically, unlike subway rides, streetcars or buses, the importance of elevators in our daily commute go unnoticed. For most city-dwellers, the elevator is an unremarkable machine that inspires none of the passion or interest that trains or jets do. However, without the elevator, there could be no downtown skyscrapers or residential high-rises, and city life as we know it would be impossible. In that sense, the elevator’s role in history has been no less transformative than that of the automobile. Our vertical trips come as footnotes, yet it’s those footnotes that make the Toronto skyline- and the modern city itself- possible. Just as the automobile unleashed the troubled geography of the North American suburbs, the elevator is the keystone to the endless skyscrapers that define our Downtown. Faster and more reliable elevators have played a key role in making supertall buildings in Toronto possible. The speed and reliability of elevators is crucial to making future projects like YSL Residences, Mirvish + Gehry, and The One habitable.
Job opportunities and above average wages
Elevator mechanic was ranked the 10th best job in Canada in 2017. There are many reasons for this, but one of them is the tremendous growth in the field. Over the last five years, the number of elevator mechanic jobs in Canada has grown 94%. The field is booming, which increases the amount of opportunities for elevator mechanics. The industry has seen a strong salary growth of 16% from 2010 to 2016. With an average yearly income of $84,000, elevator mechanics are making more than double the median individual income in Canada.
Aside from a higher-than-average salary, elevator technicians enjoy solving problems and working with their hands. One mechanic likens the work to solving puzzles, and says he enjoys the challenges of figuring out what is wrong with the elevator. Another elevator mechanic likes seeing the looks on people’s faces when they free them from an elevator entrapment.
Speaking of elevator entrapments……
When it comes to elevator entrapments, there has been a common misconception that the number of elevator entrapments in Toronto has risen dramatically. The important thing to note is that although there has been an increase in elevator entrapments, that number is not disproportionate to the rapid increase in high-rise buildings, and by the same token, elevators, being built in the city. When you have more elevators, you are going to have more entrapments.
The growth of the industry, above average salary, and increase in opportunities in the field, coupled with the benefits elevators provide our growing cities, make the Canadian elevator industry one that deserves a lot of respect.
FIELDBOSS stays current on industry trends to keep you informed on what’s happening in the elevator world. Contact us if you want to improve your elevator business and contribute to North America’s rapidly growing urban landscape.
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