Funding announced in support of the Azilda Carpenter’s Union Local 2486

NICKEL BELT-GREATER SUDBURY –Skilled tradespeople are in high demand. The most recent projections estimate about 700,000 skilled trades workers are expected to retire between 2019 and 2028, creating an ever-growing need to recruit and train thousands more. That is why the Government of Canada is making targeted investments to remove barriers and get more Canadians the apprenticeship training they need to build good, well-paying careers in the skilled trades.

Today, Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary, on behalf of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, announced $25,913 in funding to the Azilda’s Carpenters Union Local 2486 for its Reaching Remote Communities Program. The project seeks to address labour shortages and increase on-site training opportunities for workers in the trade industry specifically with the purchase of a gooseneck flatbed and enclosed trailer.

This project is funded through the Union Training and Innovation Program’s (UTIP) Stream 1 to help unions across Canada improve the quality of training through investments in equipment and materials.

This $25,913 builds upon the two amounts previously announced for Local 2486. In 2018 $278,242 was provided for a new forklift and dust collector, and in 2021 $93,000 for the purchase of a skid steer machine and concrete formwork forms. Having new equipment ensures apprentices are up to date on their training and can respond to industry needs. It also helps attract more members and retain youth in the North.

UTIP continues to support union-based apprenticeship training and works to: improve the quality of training in the trades; address barriers limiting participation and success in trades training careers; and enhance partnerships between stakeholders. Through the UTIP the Government is helping equity-deserving groups to succeed in the trades, such as women, Indigenous people, newcomers, persons with disabilities, and visible minorities, get the support they need to enter, progress and become certified in well-paying jobs in the Red Seal trades.

Quotes

“Skilled tradespeople have been critical to essential sectors during this pandemic and they will continue to be critical in the years to come. That’s why the Government of Canada is investing in the Union Training and Innovation Program to provide skilled trades workers with access to modern training equipment that will set them up for success in the workplace.” – Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough

 “Our government’s support for this project with United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners (Azilda Carpenter’s Union Local 2486) will help provide residents in Nickel Belt- Greater Sudbury with the latest training equipment to better prepare them for the challenges they will find in the workplace. Having opportunities here at home helps stem the outmigration of our youth and supports the economic development of our region and beyond.” – Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages

“Thanks to continued support from the Government of Canada, Azilda Carpenter’s Union Local 2486 has been able to offer enhanced training opportunities with state-of-the-art equipment and reach more potential apprentices. We are excited to pursue our recruitment efforts  a more diversified population to consider a rewarding trade’s career.” – Tom Cardinal, Local 2486 Union Coordinator / Northern Ontario Area Manager

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada is investing nearly $1 billion annually in apprenticeship supports through grants and contributions, loans, tax credits, Employment Insurance benefits during in-school training, project funding, and support for the Red Seal program. Announced in Budget 2019, the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy will strengthen existing apprenticeship supports and programs by helping apprentices and key apprenticeship stakeholders, including employers, to participate and succeed in the skilled trades.
• According to the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, an average of around 75,000 new apprentices will need to be hired per year in the next five years in order to meet the demand for skilled journeypersons in Red Seal trades. Top trades most at risk of not meeting the demand include welder, industrial mechanic (millwright), bricklayer, boilermaker, cook and hairstylist.
• Demand for construction trades is likely to remain high. According to BuildForce Canada, the industry needs to recruit 309,000 new construction workers over the next decade (2021 to 2030), driven predominantly by the expected retirement of 259,100 workers (22% of the current labour force).
• The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Canada’s apprenticeship systems. Apprenticeship data from 2020 shows the largest year-over-year declines in new apprenticeship registrations and certifications since the data series began in 1991.
  • There were 55,455 new apprenticeship registrations in 2020, a decrease of 28.5% (-22,119) from 2019.
  • There were 26,376 apprentices who received a trade certificate in 2020, a decrease of 31.5% (-12,138) from 2019.
• In Canada, young women continue to be less likely to express interest in a career in the skilled trades. According to a survey done by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, only two percent of 15-year-old female students indicated that they were definitely planning to pursue a career in the skilled trades.

Associated Links

Union Training and Innovation Program

Canada.ca/skilled-trades

Apprenticeship Service

Support for apprentices

Budget 2021

Media contact :
Kaylie Dudgeon
Adjointe spéciale
Marc G. Serré, Député de Nickel Belt
705-507-2416
[email protected]