Building self-reliance into Atlantic Canada's skilled trades apprentices
BEECHVILLE, NS, Feb. 13, 2025 /CNW/ - Canada is building more homes, bridges and key infrastructure than at any point in recent history. That requires skilled workers in communities across the country, including in the Atlantic provinces. To encourage more people to join the skilled trades, to build the homes Canadians expect and the resilient economy this moment demands, the federal government is investing in local opportunities to train and recruit the next generation of workers with the hands-on experience they need to enter the workforce sooner rather than later.
Today, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Steven MacKinnon highlighted funding of more than $1.5 million to seven regional organizations in support of 10 separate projects. The funding will allow these organizations to purchase better equipment and materials that will help them deliver quality training and that meet the latest industry standards. These projects are part of an earlier announcement of 114 projects under the Investments in Training Equipment funding stream.
These projects will span the province of Nova Scotia and will support training for a variety of in-demand professions, including electric vehicle repair, high-tech welding, construction electricians, heavy-duty equipment technicians, ironworkers and pipefitters, to name but a few.
This project funding is part of an effort to bolster investments in high-impact initiatives that provide supports to grow and develop a robust trades workforce ready to take on available jobs, to tackle the housing crisis and to increase net-zero construction.
The Government of Canada invests nearly $1 billion annually in apprenticeship supports through loans, tax credits, Employment Insurance benefits during in-school training, project funding, and support for the Red Seal Program to help build an inclusive, certified and productive workforce.
"Our government is creating a made-in-Canada workforce capable of building the homes, bridges and projects Canadians expect and deserve. Investments like this one today will help our Nova Scotia organizations purchase the modern, state-of-the-art training equipment and materials they need to create a pool of job-ready tradespeople."
– Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, Steven MacKinnon
"With the demand for skilled tradespeople at an all-time high, targeted investments such as these are not only critical in helping tackle the shortage of skilled tradespeople, but also in supporting good-quality jobs and helping build up our communities."
– Member of Parliament for Halifax West, Lena Metlege Diab
"Building trades unions and our partner contractors are among the largest sources of privately funded skilled trades training in the region. These include seven state-of-the art training centres across Nova Scotia. The Union Training and Innovation Program has allowed our unions to purchase equipment essential to training the workforce for tomorrow."
– Executive Director, Mainland Nova Scotia Building Trades Council, Brad Smith, ICD.D
Quick facts
- Of the ten projects, seven are funded through the 2023 call for proposals and three by the 2022 call for proposals, all under the Investments in Training Equipment funding stream.
- According to BuildForce Canada, the construction industry needs to recruit 351,800 new workers by 2033. This need is driven predominantly by the expected retirement of 263,400 workers (21% of the 2023 labour force).
- To further address the growing need for skilled trades workers, Budget 2024 announced a $90-million investment for the Apprenticeship Service to support small and medium-sized employers in creating placements for apprentices and $10 million for the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness program to encourage Canadians to explore and prepare for careers in the skilled trades.
- The Government of Canada also offers supports to apprentices as they progress through their technical training. Apprentices can access Employment Insurance benefits during technical training and up to $20,000 in interest-free Canada Apprentice Loans.
- Canada.ca/skilled-trades provides Canadians with information about what the skilled trades are, how to become a tradesperson and what financial supports are available to them while in training.
Associated links
Backgrounder
About the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy
Union Training and Innovation Program
Budget 2024
Canada.ca/skilled-trades
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
Contacts: For media enquiries, please contact: Matthieu Perrotin, Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, [email protected]; Media Relations Office: Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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