Contractors and Supervisors in Landscaping, Grounds Maintenance, and Horticulture Services

(NOC 8255)

in All Farming, Fishing, Forestry, and Mining

Individuals in these jobs manage businesses and supervise workers engaged in landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticultural activities. This group of jobs includes landscaping and grounds maintenance contractors who own and operate their own businesses, as well as those who supervise and coordinate the activities of nursery and greenhouse workers and landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers. They work for landscaping companies, cemeteries, lawn care and tree service companies, nurseries, and greenhouses and by landscaping operations of public works departments and private businesses.

Job Outlook

Average

Read more

  • Estimate Moderate growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 30 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate High rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Farming, Fishing, Forestry, and Mining

  • Estimate 415 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 1430 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

$14.50

Minimum

$18.82

Median

$25.00

Maximum

Annual Pay

$3,141

Minimum

$20,499

Median

$71,371

Maximum

Compared to: All Farming, Fishing, Forestry, and Mining

Hourly Pay

$13.00

Minimum

$18.00

Median

$30.00

Maximum

Annual Pay

$4,009

Minimum

$23,520

Median

$87,170

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Individuals in these jobs manage businesses and supervise workers engaged in landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticultural activities. This group of jobs includes landscaping and grounds maintenance contractors who own and operate their own businesses, as well as those who supervise and coordinate the activities of nursery and greenhouse workers and landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers. They work for landscaping companies, cemeteries, lawn care and tree service companies, nurseries, and greenhouses and by landscaping operations of public works departments and private businesses.

Job duties

Contractors and supervisors in this group:

  • Supervise and coordinate the activities of workers who maintain lawns, gardens, athletic fields, golf courses, cemeteries, parks, interior plantscapes, and other landscaped areas.
  • Tender bids on contracts for landscaping and grounds maintenance work.
  • Plan and estimate the materials and labour requirements for individual contracts.
  • Organize trees, gardens, lawns, shrubs and hedges planting and maintenance and the construction and installation of fences, decks, patios, walkways and retaining walls.
  • Create work schedules and procedures and coordinate activities with other work units.
  • Solve work-related problems and prepare and submit progress and other reports.
  • Request supplies and materials.
  • Maintain financial and personnel records.
  • Hire staff and train workers in job duties and company policies.
  • May manage operations of own company.
  • May provide snow removal services during winter months.
  • May perform the same duties as workers supervised.

Sample job titles

  • greenhouse supervisor
  • grounds maintenance contractor
  • horticulture workers supervisor
  • landscaping contractor
  • lawn care service contractor
  • nursery supervisor
  • park caretaker
  • park maintenance supervisor
  • tree removal contractor

Skills

  • You should enjoy working outdoors. Supervisory and communication skills are essential. You must be willing to try new processes and methods. The ability to adapt to constantly changing technologies is important for more efficient production. You must also be observant, innovative, and resourceful.

Job requirements

  • High school is usually required.
  • A college diploma, specialized courses or industry-related training and certification in landscaping and horticulture are usually required.
  • A provincial licence to apply chemical fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides may be required.

Other considerations

  • Experience as a landscape or horticulture supervisor or as a landscape or horticulture technician is required.

By the numbers

Quick look

535

employed in 2016

81.5%

employed full-time

49.1%

self employed

13.9%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
86.1%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
51.3

median age

Compared to: All Farming, Fishing, Forestry, and Mining

14,665

employed in 2016

78.0%

employed full-time

20.0%

self employed

15.1%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
84.9%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
44.6

median age

Where will I likely work?

45.8%

Halifax

$22,640 median annual income
18.7%

Annapolis Valley

$16,736 median annual income
15.0%

Southern

$20,054 median annual income
15.0%

North Shore

$28,876 median annual income
5.6%

Cape Breton

$16,699 median annual income

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

73.9%

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

6.8%

Arts, entertainment and recreation

5.7%

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

3.4%

Public administration

3.4%

Real estate and rental and leasing

What is the age of Employment?

27.0%

55-64

22.0%

35-44

19.0%

45-54

13.0%

25-34

13.0%

65+

6.0%

15-24

Compared to: All Farming, Fishing, Forestry, and Mining

20.7%

45-54

19.8%

15-24

19.2%

55-64

16.2%

35-44

14.8%

25-34

Top levels of education

29.0%

High school

$20,508 median annual income
24.3%

Less than high school

$15,657 median annual income
16.8%

College Diploma

$28,551 median annual income
14.0%

Bachelor

$26,080 median annual income
12.1%

Trade Certification

$19,500 median annual income

Compared to: All Farming, Fishing, Forestry, and Mining

35.7%

Less than high school

$23,463 median annual income
30.8%

High school

$19,301 median annual income
13.7%

College Diploma

$29,551 median annual income
13.4%

Trade Certification

$31,535 median annual income
4.4%

Bachelor

$17,956 median annual income

Education & training

Applied Horticulture

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on growing and processing domesticated plants, shrubs, flowers, foliage, trees, groundcovers, and related plant materials, managing technical and business operations connected with horticultural services, and the scientific principles needed to understand plants and their management and care.

Institutions providing this program

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

High School Diploma or Equivalent

High School Program

Adults without a high school diploma can contact the Nova Scotia School for Adult Learning (NSSAL) for tuition-free programming across the province. NSSAL oversees adult education programs in Nova Scotia. NSSAL partners with the Nova Scotia Community College, Adult High Schools, Université Sainte-Anne, and community-based learning organizations to deliver programs. NSSAL offers clear, accessible pathways from adult basic education to a high school credential or GED.

Institutions providing this program

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Adult High Schools

Various, NS

Community Learning Organizations

Various, NS

Landscaping and Groundskeeping

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to manage and maintain indoor and/or outdoor ornamental and recreational plants and groundcovers and related designs created by landscape architects, interior designers, enterprise owners or managers, and individual clients. They include courses in applicable principles of horticulture, gardening, plant and soil irrigation and nutrition, turf maintenance, plant maintenance, equipment operation and maintenance, personnel supervision, and purchasing.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture

Truro, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs apply scientific principles of controlling the animal and weed infestation of domesticated plant populations including agricultural crops, preventing/reducing economic loss, and controlling environmental pollution and degradation related to pest infestation and pest control measures. They include courses in entomology, applicable animal sciences, plant pathology and physiology, weed science, crop science, and environmental toxicology.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture

Truro, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change
Halifax, NS
Landscape Nova Scotia
Dartmouth, NS
Horticulture Nova Scotia
Kentville, NS

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.