The Difficulty of Hiring Construction Claims and Disputes Experts in Canada

Hiring construction claims and disputes experts in Canada is becoming increasingly challenging. As construction projects become larger, more complex and more commercially pressured, the demand for experienced claims, cost, damages, project controls and expert witness professionals continues to grow.

For clients, contractors, consultancies and law firms, finding the right expert is not always straightforward. The talent pool is limited, the required skillset is highly specialised And the best candidates are often already engaged on major projects or formal dispute appointments. This creates a competitive hiring market where employers need to understand what makes these professionals difficult to attract, assess and secure.

Why demand for claims and disputes experts is increasing

Canada has a strong pipeline of construction and infrastructure work across transport, energy, healthcare, education, utilities and public infrastructure. Large projects often involve multiple stakeholders, complex contracts, long delivery programmes and significant financial risk. As a result, disputes can arise from a wide range of issues, including:

• Cost overruns 
• Change orders 
• Delay and disruption 
• Labour shortages 
• Design changes 
• Supply chain issues 
• Productivity loss 
• Contract interpretation 
• Scope gaps 
• Payment disagreements 

When issues escalate, clients need professionals who can analyse what happened, assess entitlement, review cost and schedule data, prepare claims, defend claims, support negotiations or provide independent expert evidence.
This has increased demand for construction claims consultants, quantum experts, delay analysts, forensic planners, damages analysis specialists, commercial managers, project controls professionals and expert witnesses.

A small and highly specialised talent pool

One of the biggest challenges in hiring construction claims experts in Canada is the limited size of the candidate market. These roles require a rare blend of skills. Candidates need construction project experience, commercial awareness, contract knowledge, analytical ability, and strong written communication skills. For senior disputes roles, they may also need experience in arbitration, litigation support, mediation, adjudication or expert witness work.
Many professionals have one or two of these skills, but far fewer have all of them.

For example, a project manager may understand how projects are delivered but may not have experience preparing formal claims. A quantity surveyor or cost consultant may understand cost analysis but may lack expert witness or dispute resolution experience. A planner may understand schedules but may not have performed a formal forensic delay analysis in a dispute setting.

This makes the hiring process more difficult because clients are not simply looking for construction professionals. They are looking for people who can operate at the intersection of construction, contracts, analysis and dispute resolution.

The best candidates are often not actively looking

Another major challenge is that many high-quality construction claims and disputes experts are passive candidates. They are usually employed by specialist consultancies, contractors, client organisations, law firm support teams or expert witness practices.

Because their skills are in demand, they may not need to apply for jobs. They are often approached directly for opportunities and may only consider moving if the role offers a clear improvement in career progression, project exposure, compensation, location, flexibility or professional reputation.

This means a standard job advert may not reach the strongest candidates. Employers relying only on inbound applications may see a limited or unsuitable candidate pool.  For highly specialised roles, targeted recruitment and direct market mapping are often needed. 

Regional challenges across Canada

Hiring can also be complicated by geography. Canada’s construction market is spread across major regional hubs such as Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Montréal, as well as remote or project-based locations.

Each region has its own market conditions, project pipeline and talent availability. A candidate with strong infrastructure claims experience in Ontario may not be immediately available for a role in Alberta. A disputes consultant based in Vancouver may be reluctant to relocate unless the opportunity is especially attractive.

Remote and hybrid working have made some searches easier, especially for claims preparation, report writing and litigation support. However, many roles still require client meetings, site knowledge, project team interaction or attendance at hearings and mediations.
Employers therefore need to think carefully about whether a role must be location-specific or whether they can access a wider national or international talent pool.

Canadian experience can be important

For some construction claims and disputes roles, Canadian experience is highly valuable. Clients may want candidates who understand local procurement models, contract administration practices, regional construction costs, public sector processes and Canadian market norms.

This is particularly relevant for client-facing roles, commercial management positions and expert appointments where credibility with Canadian stakeholders matters.

However, the limited local talent pool means employers may also need to consider candidates with international disputes experience. Professionals from the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Middle East, or Europe may bring strong quantum, delay, commercial, or expert-witness backgrounds that can translate well into the Canadian market.

The key is to assess whether they can adapt their experience to Canadian projects, contracts and client expectations.

The Expert Witness problem 

Hiring expert witnesses can be especially difficult. An expert witness must have more than technical knowledge. They must be independent, credible, articulate and capable of producing robust written reports. They may also need experience giving evidence under cross-examination in arbitration or litigation. This is a much narrower candidate pool than general claims consulting.

Some excellent technical professionals are not suitable expert witnesses because they lack formal disputes experience or cannot communicate complex issues clearly under pressure. Others may have strong expert credentials but limited availability due to existing appointments, conflicts of interest or long-running proceedings. For clients and law firms, availability and independence can be just as important as technical expertise.

Compensation expectations are difficult to manage

Because the skillset is specialised, salary expectations can be high. Senior claims consultants, quantum experts, delay analysts, commercial directors and expert witnesses may command premium compensation, especially if they have strong sector experience and a proven disputes background.

Employers who benchmark salaries against general construction management roles may struggle to attract suitable candidates. Claims and disputes professionals are often comparing opportunities against niche consultancy roles, project-based premiums, bonus structures or independent consulting rates.

Compensation is not the only factor, but it matters. Candidates may also consider:

• Quality of projects 
• Expert witness opportunities 
• Remote or hybrid flexibility 
• Professional development 
• Leadership responsibility 
• Reputation of the employer 
• Long-term stability 

A competitive package needs to reflect the market value of the expertise being sought.

Why hiring delays can be costly 

Delaying the hiring process can create commercial risk.

If a project is already experiencing disputes, unresolved change orders or cost overruns, the absence of specialist claims support may weaken the client’s position. Important records may be missed, notices may not be issued properly, and evidence may become harder to reconstruct.

In a competitive candidate market, slow recruitment processes can also result in losing preferred candidates to other employers. Claims and disputes professionals with strong experience may be in multiple conversations at once.
Employers who are serious about hiring need to move efficiently, provide clear feedback and make decisions promptly.

How employers can improve hiring outcomes 

To improve their chances of hiring the right construction claims expert in Canada, employers should take a focused and realistic approach.

They should define the role clearly from the start. Is the need for a claims consultant, a quantum expert, a delay analyst, a project controls specialist, a commercial manager or an expert witness? Each requires a different skillset.
They should also decide which criteria are essential and which are flexible. For example, Canadian market experience may be essential for one role but less important than international arbitration experience for another.
A strong hiring process should include

• Clear role definition 
• Realistic salary benchmarking 
• Direct approach to passive candidates 
• Assessment of technical claims experience 
• Consideration of international talent where appropriate 
• Efficient interview stages 
• A compelling explanation of the opportunity 
• Flexibility on location where possible 

Employers should also recognise that the strongest candidates may need to be approached discreetly and professionally.

The role of specialist recruitment support

Because the market is niche, specialist recruitment support can make a significant difference.

A recruiter who understands construction claims, dispute resolution, damages analysis, cost analysis, change orders, arbitration and litigation support, project controls and commercial management can help clients identify the right type of candidate from the outset.

Specialist recruiters can map the market, approach passive candidates, assess transferable experience and advise clients on salary expectations, availability and hiring strategy.

With over 20 years of experience recruiting claims and disputes professionals across the globe, Maxim Recruitment is well placed to support clients in Canada with access to a highly specialised and often hard-to-reach talent pool.

Conclusion 

Hiring construction claims and disputes experts in Canada is difficult because the talent pool is limited, the work is highly specialised and demand is growing across clients, contractors, consultancies and legal teams.

The best candidates combine construction knowledge, contract awareness, analytical ability, commercial judgement and dispute resolution experience. For senior roles, they may also bring expert witness credibility, arbitration support experience and the ability to lead complex claims assignments.

For Canadian clients, securing this expertise can be the difference between a poorly managed dispute and a well-supported commercial strategy. Employers who understand the market, move quickly and work with specialist recruitment support will be better placed to attract the claims and disputes professionals they need.

Get in touch with our specialist claims and disputes recruitment consultants to discuss how we can support your hiring needs or submit a vacancy here.

Nilam Modhwadia
Senior Recruitment Consultant
Maxim Recruitment
LinkedIn

Nilam is a Senior Recruitment Consultant based at our head office in Leicester, where she leads the UK and international Construction Disputes division. She specialises in recruiting top-tier professionals across the construction disputes sector; including claims consultants, quantum experts, delay analysts, and dispute resolution specialists. Nilam partners with premium, and often exclusive, employer clients, connecting them with exceptional talent to drive project success.