Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance Labourers

(NOC 8612)

in All Farming, Fishing, Forestry, and Mining

Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers help construct landscapes and related structures, and to maintain lawns, gardens, athletic fields, golf courses, cemeteries, parks, landscaped interiors, and other landscaped areas. They work for landscaping and lawn care companies, golf courses, cemeteries, and landscaping operations of public works departments and private companies.

Job Outlook

Average

Read more

  • Estimate Moderate growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 210 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Moderate 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

$15.00

Median

$21.00

Maximum

Annual Pay

$2,309

Minimum

$12,638

Median

$42,131

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

Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers help construct landscapes and related structures, and to maintain lawns, gardens, athletic fields, golf courses, cemeteries, parks, landscaped interiors, and other landscaped areas. They work for landscaping and lawn care companies, golf courses, cemeteries, and landscaping operations of public works departments and private companies.

Job duties

Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers:

  • Spread topsoil, lay sod, plant flowers, grass, shrubs, and trees and perform other duties to help construct landscape and related structures.
  • Cut grass, rake, fertilize and water lawns, weed gardens, prune shrubs and trees, and complete other maintenance duties as directed by supervisor.
  • Maintain lawns and grass along roadsides.
  • Use and maintain power mowers, tractors, chain saws, electric clippers, sod cutters, pruning saws, snowblowers and other landscape maintenance equipment.
  • Spray and dust trees, shrubs, lawns, and gardens, as directed, to control insects and disease.
  • Complete other manual duties to clean and maintain landscaped environments.

Sample job titles

  • golf course labourer
  • grounds maintenance worker
  • groundskeeper
  • landscape worker
  • lawn care worker
  • lawn mower
  • park maintenance labourer
  • snow shoveller - grounds maintenance
  • tree pruner - landscaping

Skills

  • You should have good health, physical stamina, and strength. Agility, coordination, and mechanical aptitude would be helpful. You must also be able to take direction and carry out instructions given by a supervisor.

Job requirements

  • Some high school education may be required.
  • A provincial licence to apply chemical fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides may be required.

Other considerations

  • Most workers in these jobs work for part of the year and typically earn less than half the yearly income of employees who work for the whole year. Wages will vary according to the specific type of work performed, and annual incomes of many workers in these jobs are relatively low. They are often exposed to harsh weather conditions. The physical demands of this work may make it difficult for people to stay in these jobs for a long time. Progression to technical or supervisory jobs in landscaping and horticulture is possible with additional training or experience.

By the numbers

Quick look

3,850

employed in 2016

60.4%

employed full-time

16.9%

self employed

13.1%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
86.9%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
33

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?

34.6%

Halifax

$12,712 median annual income
18.2%

North Shore

$13,486 median annual income
16.7%

Annapolis Valley

$12,409 median annual income
15.8%

Southern

$13,475 median annual income
14.7%

Cape Breton

$11,860 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

52.9%

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

18.5%

Arts, entertainment and recreation

6.5%

Public administration

4.0%

Accommodation and food services

2.7%

Construction

What is the age of Employment?

38.0%

15-24

17.0%

55-64

14.0%

25-34

14.0%

45-54

9.0%

35-44

7.0%

65+

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

37.2%

High school

$10,508 median annual income
32.2%

Less than high school

$11,159 median annual income
12.1%

College Diploma

$18,908 median annual income
10.0%

Trade Certification

$17,573 median annual income
6.1%

Bachelor

$12,585 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

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

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

Landscape Nova Scotia
Dartmouth, NS

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.