Building Jobs for Tomorrow

BUILDING JOBS FOR TOMORROW

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUE 2024

MAKING TRADES ACCESSIBLE TO JOB & CAREER SEEKERS AT

constructiontradeshub.com

SAVE MONEY. SAVE ENERGY. SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT.

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1-800-268-3396 | ONTARIOINSULATORS.COM 166 Newkirk Road, Unit 5, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 3G7

Ontario Provincial District Council

WE BUILD

ONTARIO "Well Trained. Highly Skilled Labour. Simply the Best, since 1903".

When a community is built from the ground up, there is no labour force on the planet, better skilled to get the job done right the first time. LiUNA members and retirees made a commitment to their careers, which means a commitment to our communities.

A commitment to build the BEST schools, airports, hospitals, office buildings, tunnels, power plants, roads, bridges, low rise and high rise housing in the country. When the work is done, LiUNA members and retirees continue to live, play and grow in their communities, with the guarantee of a pension that is also....simply the BEST!

Jack Oliveira

Joseph S. Mancinelli

Business Manager

President

Luigi Carrozzi

Carmen Principato

Robert Petroni

Secretary-Treasurer

Vice President

Recording Secretary

Brandon MacKinnon

Executive Board Member

visit www.liunaopdc.ca today

Terry Varga

Executive Board Member

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

2024

Trades recruitment – 12

CBTU In the Trades Apprentice Program – 32

How SMART and a pro-labour contractor elevated an Ontario sheet metal worker’s career – 14

Bullying and harassment in the workplace – 34

Government and the trades – 16

Mentorship matters – 36

Canada’s skilled trades workforce: Planning for the future – 18

Join the construction of the new Ottawa Hospital Campus – 38

Who we are – 8

Looking back: Advocacy in the building trades – 22 Helping potential construction entrants navigate the industry – 24 Ontario building and construction tradeswomen: Building our future – 28 Building the workforce of tomorrow – 30

Budget a winner for trades, climate, and country – 40 The right to refuse unsafe work – 42 150 years of value on display – 45

President & CEO David Langstaff Managing Editor Lyndon McLean lyndon@delcommunications.com Advertising Sales Manager Dayna Oulion dayna@delcommunications.com Advertising Sales Gary Barrington Brian Gerow Colin James Ross James Michelle Raike Eshaan Revis

EDI’s impact on attracting youth – 46 Sustainable jobs can build Canada’s net-zero future – 48 Index to advertisers –49 Additional skilled trade resources – 50

Thanks and praise Our Workforce Development Partners Skilled Trades Ontario (STO) Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Jobs Protection Office (JPO) | Workers Health and Safety Centre (WHSC) Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) Workers Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Helmets to Hardhats (H2) | Ontario Building Trades (OBT) Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council of Ontario Construction Training and Apprenticeship Ontario (CTAO) Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) Conseil Provincial International Construction BuildForce Canada | Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc. Ottawa Public Health | Member’s Assistance Program Skill Plan | Indigenous Awareness Training | Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition Ottawa Community Benefit Network | Tomorrow’s Trades Ottawa Board of Trade | columbiainstitute.ca College of the British Columbia Building Trades | United Way East Ontario Important links: Constructiontradeshub.com Travaillerenconstruction.com 6 Workforce Development 2024

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WHO WE ARE We are Building Trades Council consisting of members from 14 International unions who work in more than 60 different trades and occupations. Our council delivers the highest level of skill, workmanship, and safety.

Our tradespeople are immensely proud of the commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential infrastructure they have helped to build over the last 150 years. We strive to ensure that the construction industry offers the most financially satisfying and personally rewarding career pathway open to those becoming apprentices and journeypersons.

We build our workforce by fostering pride, performance, and professionalism in the skilled trades by supporting training that prepares our members for life-long career opportunities that strengthen our contributions to the industry.

WHAT WE DO We provide the highest level of skill in: Carpentry | Steam-fitting | Electricity | Glazing Welding | Excavation | Painting | Plastic Fusion Fencing | Roofing | Electronics | Piling | Grading Robotics | Flooring | Craning | Fibre optics 8 Workforce Development 2024

We know that our constructors are expecting construction work that will be delivered on time, on budget and flowing smoothly from start to finish. By ensuring these targets, we provide owners and investors with maximum production and maximum value for money.

We are in the enviable position of being able to offer all the necessary ingredients in the construction formula that will yield excellent quality and durability proving that developing a partnership with our Business Managers and their Locals is a good investment.

Machine moving | Hydraulics | Drilling | Material Handling Pneumatics | Curb and gutter | Foundations Control Systems | Road building | Earthmoving | Plumbing Paving | Trucking | Pipe-fitting | Formwork | Warehousing Surveying | Heating | Ventilating | Air Conditioning Metal Siding | Roof decking | Air balancing | Paint Systems Asbestos removal | Sheet metal fabricating and installation Bricklaying | Masonry | Stonecutting | Caulking Boilermaking | Cement finishing | Tiling | Drywalling Taping | Elevator Systems | Steel erecting | Rebar Conveyor-systems | Precision aligning | Landscaping Millworking | Acoustics

There is no room for error in construction.

5. Observance of Regulations & Rules

We guarantee partners the following: 1. Stable Workforce • Our council represents more than 30,000 highly skilled trades people.

2. Quality Workmanship • Our trades people are highly skilled.

• Our contractors know the occupational health and safety laws and observe them.

6. Co-Ordination of Workforce • Our Business Agents work closely with their signatory contractors.

7. Instant Action

3. Safety - Always Number One • We boast the highest standards, 31 per cent safer with the lowest lost time rate.

• Immediate liaison/response through the Business Manager’s office 8. Success

4. Availability of Tradespeople • Qualified manpower needs are guaranteed by our hiring hall system.

• We all have a major investment in the success of any project, and work with our industry partners as a winning team.

It’s all a matter of training...

Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 9

Our tradespeople are not in this business for the short run. They have chosen their professional trades as their careers. They’ve made a commitment to reach the highest levels of competence by upgrading and retraining to maintain their advanced degree of qualification.

Each trade organization operates a training center that provides state-of-the-art training for each member. Our affiliated organizations have invested a great deal of time and money in their training programs because they are investing in the future. Each member is encouraged to continually expand his/her knowledge of the trade, thereby remaining competitive and capable of offering the client only the highest standards and performance.

First-rate training has paid off for our members, our customers, and the public.

Visit us at constructiontradeshub.com to apply.

Millwrights Local 1410 — local1410@millwrightont.ca

Ready to connect with us? All our key contact information is below. Reach out now – we’re looking forward to hearing from you!

LiUNA Labourers Local 527 — union@Liunalocal527.com

Boilermakers Local 128 — info@ibblocal128.org

Plasterers & Masons Local 124 — local124@bellnet.ca

Bricklayers Local 7 — info@local7.ca

Plumbing & Pipefitters UA Local 71 — office@UALocal71.com

Carpenters Local 93 — local93@ubcja.ca

Refrigeration UA Local 787 — admin@ualocal787.org

Sheet Metal Local 285 — info@smart285.ca

Sheet Metal/Roofers Local 47 —

Carpenters Local 2041 — 2041@ubcja.ca

Painters & Glaziers Local 200 — edgar.local200@gmail.com

administration@smwia47ottawa.org

Elevator Constructors Local 96 — info@iuec96.com

Sprinkler Fitters UA Local 853 — register@ualocal853.org

Electricians Local 586 — reception@ibew586.org

Teamsters Local 230 — info@teamsters230.ca

Insulators Local 95 — admin@insulators95.com

Teamsters Local 91 — info@teamsters91.ca

Ironworkers Local 765 — local765@ironworkers765.com

Cornwall Electricians Local 115 — info@ibew115.com

10 Workforce Development 2024

Every workplace should have an effective, sustainable Return-To-Work program.

Prevention Link can work with the workplace parties to conduct an assessment and develop an effective RTW Program, including stakeholder input, accommodation best practices, and participation in building consensus on policies, procedures, and protocols.

Does your workplace have written Return-to-Work language?

Get started today by contacting Prevention Link at info@preventionlink.ca or visit preventionlink.ca

ml/cope343

Prevention Link is an innovative disability prevention program that focuses on the link between the primary and secondary prevention of occupational injury, illness and disease in workplaces throughout Ontario.

Message from Building Trades Council President

Floyd Cunning, RSE Trades recruitment The Building Trades Council and its affiliated member unions are ramping up their efforts to increase market share by bringing in new members and organizing companies requiring a steady, predictable, and highly trained labour pool.

We’ve had many recruitment and hiring programs over the years but the Construction Trades Hub (constructiontradeshub.com) is a unique workforce development program focusing on recruiting and retaining workers from underrepresented portions of the population such as women, Indigenous people, and new Canadians for the next generation

of building trades workers. We’re also aggressively working with companies to explain the benefits of having a unionized workforce.

One unexpected source of new workers is the more than 3,000 refugees and asylum seekers a month coming into the provinces of Ontario and Quebec from the 37 major conflict regions around the world. We have a big contingent of refugees and asylum seekers coming to our region who are looking for work. The Unionized Building Trades are an important option for them.

The federal government recently announced it was increasing immigration to 500,000 people each year for the next three years, with an emphasis on skilled labour workers.

A career in the Building Trades can offer better wages and benefits and a more secure quality of life.

One of the drivers of the efforts to increase market share is the retiring of the Baby Boom generation, the largest demographic in Canadian history.

IUEC Local 96 congratulates the UBCTC on the 150th anniversary.

www.iuec96.com 12 Workforce Development 2024

Matching our membership with the number of jobs available is a constant concern. We need to live up to our commitment to employers to provide a large skilled workforce and make sure our members have work. COVID had only made the problem worse. The constructiontradeshub.com

recruitment tool should make it better. We must replace members who chose to retire, particularly during the provincial COVID lockdowns. Good for them – it’s their lifestyle choice; but it means we’ve got to redouble our efforts to not only keep up our market share but also increase it. The Building Trades Indigenous outreach plays a large role. Our workers did not miss a single day’s opportunity to work throughout the pandemic.

Indigenous workers are the biggest growing demographic in the province, and we’ve had good success in convincing them that the trades offer great pay and benefits, job security, and ongoing training with no education debt. When we go to high schools and tell students they can start their apprenticeship making over $20 an hour to start, they get very interested. For many, this is much better than earning a degree and not being employed after graduating with a large education debt. In the Unionized Building Trades Sector, an apprenticeship is a job leading to a career with benefits, job security, and a future for advancement through lifelong learning and skills upgrading.

As labour shortages intensify, the Building Trades and its member unions are looking at small to medium-sized companies who are

having trouble recruiting in a time of national labour shortages. We position ourselves in the market by saying to them “we can help you – we have the skilled and qualified workforce you’re struggling to put together.”

This is an ongoing effort. We understand the market and have established relationships with employers. By persuading smaller companies that we can be of assistance, we collectively progress, and this benefits both contractors and unions, creating a win-win situation for the economy and our respective communities.

On behalf of our Council Executive Board, we fraternally thank sisters Jenny and Gillian Olohan and their team from 14 Oranges; Kyle Downie and his SkillPlan team; Construction

Training & Apprenticeship Ontario; the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario; the project funding streams of the Ontario and federal governments; and CBTU (Canada’s Building Trades Unions) for their collective development and continued IT support for the constructiontradeshub.com portal.

We would also like to thank every contributor who submitted an ad or text in support of our 2023-2024 workforce development magazine.

Information, including the 79-page document titled Jobs for Tomorrow (featuring a black QR code, as well as red and blue QR codes representing BuildForce Canada), presents job and job opportunity forecasts. This information is provided for your awareness regarding jobs today, tomorrow, and in the future.

We welcome the next generation of skilled trades building and construction men and women to our respective training centres. Please see affiliate websites QR below to benefit from an earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship, which is a job leading to a career achieved without an education debt and includes high caliber benefits, pension plan and lifelong learning to remain safe, competitive, and productive.

We say welcome and thank you for your interest in the Eastern Ontario Western Quebec Unionized Building and Construction Trades Council constructiontradeshub.com portal.

HAPPY 150TH ANNIVERSARY! CONSTRUCTIONTRADESHUB.COM/CTAONTARIO-REGISTER

BUILD YOUR SKILLS FREE RESOURCES FOR APPRENTICESHIP

TO LEARN MORE, VISIT:

SKILLPLAN.CA/LEARN

MATH FOR EACH TRADE - SCIENCE PRINCIPLES WORKPLACE DOCUMENT USE - AND SO MUCH MORE! Online self-directed lessons, short quizzes, step-by-step explanations, videos, tips and strategies, practice exercises, a variety of animations and tutoring supports!

All contextualized to the trades!

Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 13

BREAKING BARRIERS:

How SMART and a pro-labour contractor elevated an Ontario sheet metal worker’s career Sheet Metal Air Rail Transportation (SMART) Local

Once he became a union member, Simpson started

47 sheet metal worker Stuart Simpson started his

attending union meetings and learned more about what

tradesperson career at a non-union sheet metal

the union had done and could do for its members.

shop. Unlike many non-union contractors, though, his employer ended up actively encouraging Stuart and his co-workers to join SMART – resulting in a “truly lifechanging” shift that Stuart says has transformed the trajectory of his career, leading him to become SMART Local 47’s Training Coordinator.

“By attending more union functions, I got to know the officers of the union, and when my union reached out looking for an instructor to assist with safety training, I submitted my name,” he notes. “Thankfully, they liked what I had to offer, and I became one of the safety trainers. Shortly after, I also became the part-time

“I got into sheet metal at a local shop in 1996. I became

training coordinator, and after a few years they brought

a registered apprentice and went through my five-year

me on full time to serve as the permanent Training

apprenticeship, attended three intakes at our local

Coordinator. I have been very fortunate to work with our

college (eight weeks each time), wrote my certificate of

Business Manager, Floyd Cunning, who is very proactive

qualification and became a licensed journeyperson in

in onboarding courses such as Mental Health & Naloxone

2002,” Simpson says.

Training for our members and their families.”

“I joined SMART back in 2011. Before becoming a union

“I personally have found that union workers are typically

member, I worked for a non-union shop. We normally

better educated due to the additional education their

worked long hours, usually for straight time, and we were

unions provide,” Simpson says.

paid time and a half when it was available. My employer at the time decided that we should all join the union because of the benefits SMART membership provided.

He was a good employer who wanted to give employees a better future. We were provided with a good pension

According to the Ontario Construction Secretariat, union workers are 32 per cent safer than the non-union sector, which can be directly attributed to the mandatory safety courses that the union provides.

plan and great benefits, as well as a nice wage increase!

“Union workers tend to be happier, more productive, and

My employer did the best he could to provide good

safer, and I truly believe that every worker deserves to go

benefits and a pension; however, joining the union was

home at the end of the day and not become a statistic.

an amazing decision. I am truly grateful for that. I was

When I mentor new apprentices, I stress the importance

fortunate to work for that company for 19.5 years before

of safety and not taking risks, no matter how big or

it closed its doors.”

small.”

14 Workforce Development 2024

“ Honestly, joining the union was transformational for me, not only from a financial position, but also because the things I’ve learned and the courses I’ve attended have truly changed my life.”

“Over the last five years, our local has expanded its

things I’ve learned and the courses I’ve attended have

safety training, brought in two more safety instructors,

truly changed my life,” Simpson says. “The benefits you

and, most recently, we were awarded our TDA (training

receive from being part of a union directly correlate

delivery agent) status, which will allow us to start

with your level of involvement. Those who actively

teaching the 308A Red Seal sheet metal and the 449A

engage in union activities, such as attending meetings,

Red Seal roofer programs in Ottawa. I am so grateful to be a part of SMART, for the education it has provided me, as well as the many skill upgrade opportunities I’ve been able to access.”

participating in functions, voting, and providing suggestions for improvement, are generally more informed and consequently tend to reap greater rewards.

When I meet new apprentices, I tell them to take every opportunity to improve their skills, as learning is a

“Honestly, joining the union was transformational for me,

lifelong journey. Thank you, SMART, for all you have done

not only from a financial position, but also because the

and continue to do for us!”

CONGRATULATIONS OTTAWA ON YOUR 150TH ANNIVERSARY Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 15

Message from Vice President

Angus Maisonneuve, RSE Government and the trades One of the key roles of our local Building Trades Council is working with governments at all levels for the benefit of our members and the communities they serve. All three levels of government – federal, provincial, and municipal – are involved in the construction industry as regulators, training providers and as project managers.

Centre Block and the Parliamentary Precinct, the world’s largest rehabilitation and renovation project.

Government-funded institutions account for one-third of non-residential construction activity in Canada.

For example, in Ottawa and Gatineau, the respective City Councils are supporting many major construction projects: a new central library, a new hockey rink for the Sens is under discussion, two new area hospitals are planned, along with more quality low and high-rise housing. Public consultations are underway to determine what to build and when, but whenever these projects go ahead, we will be available to build them as we have been doing for over 150 years. As infrastructure ages, all three levels of government will fund needed rebuilding or rehabilitation projects across the province, such as the

The federal government develops and is working to harmonize national building codes for construction and establishing parameters for federal environment assessment, a critical step before shovels go into the ground. In addition, the federal government sets the rules when foreign workers can be used on Canadian construction sites.

The roles among the three levels of government break down as follows: Federal

Our Building Trades Council always advocates for local workers to be the first choice and source of skilled labour on all construction sites, followed by building trades workers from other provinces, and finally other countries.

The federal government also provides funding for the purchase of equipment to train our members.

Suite 500 - 280 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 1R7 | ottawalabour.org

A COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY VOICE 16 Workforce Development 2024

Provincial The provincial governments of Ontario and Quebec establish the provincial construction codes, labour standards, environmental regulations, and parameters for municipal zoning regulations. Under the Constitution of Canada, provinces are responsible for organizing municipalities and overseeing their development. The provincial government, including provincially owned Crown corporations, also control large capital budgets.

Building Trades members will be needed as Ontario and Quebec transition their power production to greener energy sources as the Jobs for Tomorrow report identifies. (See the Jobs for Tomorrow QR code.) As always, local qualified skilled trades workers should be the first hired and last laid off from construction sites funded by provincial tax dollars.

Municipal Municipal governments of Ontario and Quebec – urban and rural – set their own zoning requirements, approve building applications, issue building permits, and conduct building inspections. Many of the construction projects

our members work on are located outside of our urban centres. Building Trades members are an important source of economic activity associated with construction projects in municipalities right across Canada.

It can be challenging for contractors to work with three levels of government that all set environmental regulations and have varying responsibilities on-site, but the result is worth it. Governments tend to be more stable than the private sector and will often initiate construction projects when the private sector is stepping back. The nature of government projects fits nicely with our specialty of having our skilled workers building ICI (institution, commercial and industrial) projects. This not only benefits us, but also society as we build our schools, hospitals, and other public buildings.

As the local Building Trades Council, it’s our job to actively engage all levels of government for the benefit of our members, contractors, and owners. We make sure that all governments take our members’ interests into account when they make decisions.

Research is the foundation that underpins the OCS, visit our website to explore valuable research reports and industry data.

SAV E TH E DATE

iciconstruction.com @OntConstSec

MARCH 5, 2024

OCS State of the Industry & Outlook Conference 2024

Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 17

Message from Building Trades Council Treasurer and Financial Secretary

Don Melvin Canada’s skilled trades workforce: Planning for the future Over the past year, the unionized construction sector has seen a series of investments and major mega projects announced. There has been a renewed focus on building Canada’s skilled trades workforce and ensuring that the workforce is diverse and inclusive. Investments made at the federal level –and in many provinces – recognize the value of apprenticeship training and what a career in the skilled trades can offer. This, at a time when our economy is transitioning to meet new targets that will require us as the Skilled Building and Construction Trades to focus on new and

18 Workforce Development 2024

emerging technologies. These will create new work opportunities for our members in all the trades who are trained to build Canada’s netzero future. We recognize the drive to net-zero will introduce even newer technologies to support our existing oil, gas, and nuclear industries. With the investment and tax incentives being introduced by the federal and provincial governments, tying these investments to good union jobs, high labour standards, and prevailing wages will raise the bar for all of us, while growing Canada’s skilled trades workforce.

Because we know by the numbers that there will be challenges, according to the BuildForce Canada’s latest outlook forecast (available in the red and blue coloured QR codes below), our industry needs to recruit an additional 30,000 workers to replace retirees and to meet the demand profile for future construction requirements by 2027.

Understanding this for over a decade, Affiliated Unions have focused on building a more diverse and inclusive workforce. Our apprenticeship and training systems are the cornerstone of unionized construction; our unions and signatory contractor partners invest over $346 million a year in privatesector money in Ontario alone to fund and operate over 150 training centres that produce the safest, most highly trained, and productive skilled craft workers found anywhere in the world. Our local Council Affiliates currently operate over 20 Training and Education Centres.

We’ve also worked closely with the federal and provincial governments to ensure strong investments have been made to support training and apprenticeships.

Our apprenticeship and training systems are the cornerstone of unionized construction; our unions and signatory contractor partners invest over $346 million a year in private-sector money in Ontario alone to fund and operate over 150 training centres that produce the safest, most highly trained, and productive skilled craft workers found anywhere in the world.

For instance, in the recent Federal Budget, the immediate need to address labour availability was made easier by the Labour Mobility Tax Deduction included in the 2022 Budget. For years, construction tradespeople have had to labour under a particularly unfair section of the Income Tax Act which prohibited them from deducting their travel expenses when they had to relocate to work at various construction sites. We know that the nature of construction is cyclical; with an abundance of work in some regions and high unemployment in others, the Labour Mobility Tax Deduction of up to $4,000 can mitigate labour availability. Labour shortages can cause unscheduled project delays, ultimately higher costs, and affect productivity. If any one group who has had to travel to work deserved to deduct expenses, it would be skilled tradespeople. Which is why – after a long crusade that included over two decades of advocacy by Canada’s Building Trades Union and Affiliates, many private members’ bills – all three major parties saw the common sense in amending the Act and its inclusion in the Budget.

So thank you to all of you who sent letters or contacted their Member of Parliament. Your involvement made this possible, and the provincial leadership of the Ontario and Quebec Building Trades was an integral part of making this happen.

The applicable tax deduction applies

for up to $4,000 in eligible expenses, and workers should keep expense receipts and necessary details to lower their taxable income by using the new legislation to their advantage.

apprenticeships have allowed

Investments in training and

a chance to explore the multitude

us to launch programs like the development of a virtual recruitment and assessment portal coined the ConstructionTradesHub.com that offers those interested in the trades

Unionized Building and Construction Trades Council Conseil des métiers syndiques de la construction

Floyd Cunning - President - Building Trades Council Angus Maisonneuve - Vice President & Director Don Melvin - Financial Secretary & Treasurer Brent Payne - Recording Secretary Scott Thompson - Chestnut Park Accord Co-Chair Eastern Ontario Western Quebec Unionized Building and Construction Trades Council 765 Green Creek Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1J 1K6 613-724-6116 buildingtradescouncil@sympatico.ca

of career options, increase their knowledge base through the learning portal, and connect with a local union in their region to further explore opportunities.

Our local Building Trades Council, through this project, has a unique portal that connects those interested with province-specific information – an important tool that will be eventually utilized by all locals and training directors from coast to coast. The Government of Canada alone is investing close to $247 million in 13 projects that will enable small and medium-sized employers (SME’s) to offer apprenticeship training opportunities to first-year apprentices. We will work with our employers and apprenticeship bodies to place many more new apprentices over the coming years.

More recently, key investments in renewable technologies like small modular reactors, carbon capture and storage, as well as hydrogen research and generation projects were announced. All of these will position Canada and the participating provinces as leaders

in these areas, which means more investments, more major projects, and more opportunities for skilled male and female tradespersons to demonstrate their pride of workmanship. It also included a $250 million commitment over the next five years to Employment and Social Development Canada to help Canadian workers to thrive in a changing global economy.

Supporting workers as we transition to net-zero is also vital in ensuring a prosperous economic future for all levels of government.

be considered. Provisions around

Commitments like a new sustainable job stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) and the creation of a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat are steps in the right direction in creating more jobs for trainers. That doesn’t mean our work is done – as these investments are made, funding from the federal and provincial governments should be tied to good union jobs. That means a prevailing wage compared to a full multi-employer negotiated collective agreement with pension, benefits, health, and welfare included must

Building and Construction Unions

apprenticeship hiring and equitydeserving groups will build the workforce we need. Canadians expect this when governments make large investments of public funds, and all of Canada’s Building Trades Unions stand ready to work with governments at all levels to ensure their investments maximize opportunities for Canadians.

Through advocacy efforts and industry support, our Skilled Trades are committed to further improving the lives of skilled trades workers and their families. However, we need your help to make it happen. Please visit the constructiontradeshub.com portal and join our team.

Congratulations and Best Wishes on your 150th Anniversary Celebration!

Congratulations and Best Wishes on your 150th Anniversary Celebration!

From the Officers, Executive Board and Members of Iron Workers Local 765 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada From the Officers, Executive Board and Members of Iron Workers Local 765

20 Workforce Development 2024

Happy anniversary UBCTC on 150 years!

1831 Allanport Road, Thorold, ON L0S 1K0

289-296-4594 info@niagararigging.ca www.niagararigging.ca

Looking back: Advocacy in the building trades

By Kate Walsh, Canada’s Building Trades Unions The construction industry has changed a lot since

and Build TogetHER have helped create communities

Tradetalk was first published 25 years ago.

where aspiring and seasoned tradeswomen can share

Asbestos use, once widespread, has been banned.

There are more women in construction than ever before.

Climate change and the transition to a more sustainable

their experiences. Old stigmas and unwelcoming workplaces are becoming less common, while things like improved washrooms for tradeswomen on job sites are

economy have become top concerns across the industry.

becoming more prevalent.

We still have a lot of work to do, but it’s important to look

Measures like the tradesperson tool deduction provide

back on where we’ve been and how far we’ve come.

support for workers by putting money back into their

The federal government banned asbestos in 2018, and although asbestos continues to be responsible for one-third of work-related deaths in Canada, slowly but

wallets. Building Trades across the country welcomed the news in the 2023 federal budget that the deduction has doubled from $500 to $1,000.

surely the industry is seeing progress. Last year, the

Last year, after years of advocacy from the Building

B.C. government proposed amendments to strengthen

Trades, the government introduced the labour mobility

requirements for asbestos abatement work, the result of

deduction for tradespeople. The deduction allows

long-time advocacy by the BC Building Trades.

tradespeople to claim up to $4,000 on eligible expenses

Across the country, women in the building trades

incurred when workers need to travel to work. And

represent only four per cent of total workers, but that

funding for the formerly named Union and Innovation

number is growing. Building Trades programs like the

Training Program has more than doubled from $10

Office to Advance Women Apprentices, In The Trades,

million to $25 million annually.

22 Workforce Development 2024

The Building Trades know the construction industry will look different as Canada moves toward sustainable energy and meeting the country’s goals of an economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We need to ensure no worker is left behind in this transition.

As we look ahead to the next 25 years, the changing

energy. These tax credits are linked to a prevailing

climate will affect workers. This summer, Canadians

wage that includes union compensation. Tying these

experienced record-breaking heat, wildfires, and poor air quality. Advocating for the highest health and safety standards for skilled tradespeople who work outside is

incentives to a strong definition of prevailing wage will raise the standard of living for all workers, benefit the

critical. Every worker deserves to be safe at work and

economy, and create a legacy of family-sustaining,

come home safely at the end of the day, and the Building

middle-class jobs throughout the transition to net zero.

Trades will continue to advocate strongly for health and

This fall, we’re focused on getting these monumental tax

safety.

The Building Trades know the construction industry

credits and their strong labour conditions into law.

will look different as Canada moves toward sustainable

Canada’s Building Trades Unions are pleased to work with

energy and meeting the country’s goals of an economy

the BC Building Trades to advocate for policies that will

with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We

create a better future for unionized skilled tradespeople

need to ensure no worker is left behind in this transition.

The government introduced the Sustainable Jobs Act this past spring which will support workers during changing times.

The 2023 federal budget included investment tax credits

– including increased health and safety, creating a more welcoming environment for all workers and being a leading voice in the transition to a more sustainable economy – a future where the unionized construction

– financial incentives to support the industry in making

industry is larger, safer, and more diverse. After all, a lot

the transition to green technologies and sustainable

can change in 25 years.

Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 23

Helping potential construction entrants navigate the industry

By Gillian Olohan, Program Manager – Construction Training and Apprenticeship Ontario (CTAO)

In April 2021, the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario established an organization called Construction Training and Apprenticeship Ontario (CTAO) to help address the need to attract and retain new entrants to the province’s construction industry. The initiative is funded by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) through the Skills Development Fund (SDF). By securing successful funding through Round III, CTAO has embarked upon wider engagement efforts with community organizations and education providers, both public and private.

As of August 2023, it’s clear that disciplines of the construction sector are facing a looming skilled trades shortage, and yet the message of there being viable careers in the skilled trades is still not widely accepted. In addition, there appears to be an implicit bias among members of the general public against pursuing careers in the trades in general – and construction in particular – in favour of pursuing college and university education. As the organized sector looks to grow its density, these 24 Workforce Development 2024

two issues need to be explored and addressed in greater detail.

There is no silver bullet that will address preconceived misconceptions; however, every interaction with members of the public with a view to educating them about vast opportunities in the construction industry is one step in the right direction. The immediate need to address “unspoken” bias toward the trades has been an ongoing struggle between skilled trades workers and the public. It’s apparent that when considering future education and career pathways in schools, the option to pursue a skilled trade is not often offered to students who have high academic achievements but do not want to apply to traditional postsecondary options such as college or university. The common belief that apprenticeship programs are for those students who are not academically inclined or who are merely “good with their hands” is not an accurate reflection of the actual demands of the skilled trades. In fact, skilled trades are “skilled” precisely because they demand a high level of knowledge, skill, organization, aptitude, and

continued learning. These are competitive positions that require trainees and apprentices to be in touch with, and oftentimes ahead of, evolving technologies and innovation. Skilled trades positions are essential and valuable to society as they demand a high level of intelligence and can appeal to the brightest students in schools. Perpetuating the sense of having “dumbed down” students pursuing the trades is detrimental to the construction industry and the perception of construction work, and it additionally limits viable vocational pathways for post-secondary students who are genuinely contemplating new options outside of academia.

This past year, I completed the Canadian Labour Congress’ (CLC) Labour College of Canada program where the idea of building union density was emphasized in both the private and public sectors. My final Independent Learning Project (ILP) paper focused on the following question: Q: How can I influence “decision makers” to consider skilled trades for their children as valid post-

secondary pathways (thereby building union density)?

their own evolving positions in the workplace.

I approached the question bearing in mind the ongoing work being done

by CTAO to attract and retain more entrants to the construction industry.

Part of the CTAO work plan this year was to create a video series aimed at decision makers. For clarity, a decision maker is an individual who has influence over someone else’s behaviour and/or decision-making ability. Some examples of decision makers could include an individual’s parents, teachers, guidance or career counsellors, social media figures, friends, and institutions such as colleges and universities.

Fortunately, the ILP afforded me the opportunity to specifically look at how union density can be built, with the benefit of being able to look at the construction industry provincially, resulting from my interactions with the Provincial Building Trades Council.

Thankfully, I have been lucky to have worked with some remarkable people who have agreed to participate in this project in this third round of funding. The first two CTAO influencers for this project are Julie D’Altroy, Membership Development Representative and Examining Board member with IBEW Local 353 in Toronto, and Kent MacDonald, Vice President and Training and Apprenticeship Coordinator with Ironworkers Local 765 in Ottawa. As influencers, Julie and Kent shared valuable insights into their respective trades which will have an impact on decision makers and the broader construction industry. The expected delivery date for these videos is the end of 2023, so please stay tuned!

The premise behind the CTAO video series was to appeal to decision makers who are not informed about the complexity and growth opportunities available to people who take on careers in the construction trades. These decision makers would find some common ground with our video participants – aptly called influencers. Our influencers are tradespeople who are in the second or third iteration of their career, working in positions of leadership and influence, typically between 30 and 55 years of age.

These influencers, because of their position, age, networks, and experience, can relate to the decision makers because of their capacity to identify with their career growth aspirations while drawing upon

To continue to drive accessibility to our industry, CTAO continues its work with SkillPlan to further expand content specifically aimed towards supporting apprentices throughout their apprenticeship programs, and as they get ready to complete their Certificates of Apprenticeship and/or write their Certificates of Qualification exams.

SkillPlan’s content tools, named Build Your Skills, exist to address gaps in learning that may be missed throughout an apprenticeship. These tools are available to participating apprentices and are at no cost to use. To support different learning styles, the material in Build Your Skills is presented in an interactive and contextualized manner specific to each trade’s work – thus, the days of knowing why the Pythagorean theorem is useful to determine sling lengths are gone, as this is no longer a trade secret.

Furthermore, with the cooperation and support of the Building Trades’ affiliates and various stakeholder partners, the Apprenticeship Navigator tool was launched in February of 2023. To date, the Apprenticeship Navigator has connected over 231 hopeful apprentices to trade unions across the province. The results of who is using the Navigator and where those individuals are applying to, have been quite noteworthy.

Interestingly, the average age of an applicant is 29 years old with over 51 per cent of applicants coming from underrepresented communities, including 21 per cent being female, 15 per cent being from racialized communities, and 13 per cent being newcomers to Ontario. The average age has been consistent with general industry trends since the Apprenticeship Navigator’s launch, indicating that more work needs to be done to target younger applicants throughout the remainder of this funding year.

As the program continues to grow and aid in the virtual recruitment of entrants to the construction industry, CTAO is looking to continually build relationships and partnerships with new stakeholders and communities throughout Ontario. The overarching goal is to make CTAO the ultimate resource for those looking for reliable information on the province’s unionized construction sector and the skilled trades. As a result, CTAO will continue to support Building Trades affiliates in their journey to expand market share while addressing specific skills shortages at their source.

Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 25

The Ontario Building Trades would like to Congratulate the Unionized Building and Construction Trades Council of Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec on their 150th Anniversary.

James Hogarth

Marc Arsenault

President

Business Manager and Secretary Treasurer

@PBCTCOntario Programming to support your Union Members

Stirling Munn Norm Bone Brad Brave David Gardner James Barry James Hannah Chris Sutton Tony Mollica Bruno Mandic Art White Ken Hall Brad Hill Bill Barbosa Tony Di Maria Dave Turple Karen Pullen

REPRESENTING ONTARIO CONSTRUCTION WORKERS SINCE 1957 W W W.O NTA R I O B U I LD I N GTR A D E S .CO M © 2023 by the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario

Ontario building and construction tradeswomen: Building our future

By Kate Walsh, Program Manager - Ontario Building and Construction Tradeswomen The Ontario Building and Construction Tradeswomen (OBCT) was established by the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario (PBCTCO) in 2019 via a resolution passed by delegates to the Council’s 62nd Annual Convention in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Today, OBCT is a committee made up of hundreds of Ontario tradeswomen who are working together to advocate for women and underrepresented gender identities in the trades to ensure that they feel inspired, welcomed, motivated, challenged, and empowered. The OBCT is a resource for all women working in the building and construction industry as well as for those looking to start a career in the skilled trades.

Women continue to make up less than five per cent of the construction workforce in Ontario, a number mirrored across the country. Research has been undertaken by several organizations, including the OBCT, to determine barriers to entering the skilled trades, to examine issues around recruitment, retention, management views and more. Some survey findings include the following: • Key insights from the OBCT Survey of Industry Leaders in 2022 found that leaders in the construction industry believe that gender does not play a role in being successful in the skilled trades, as long as the workers are competent and are strong enough to do the job. However, gender does matter when it comes to the treatment of men and women and growth opportunities in the trades – twothird majorities agree that men and women are not treated equally and that they are not given equal growth opportunities.

• According to a 2022 report from the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), titled Canadian Women’s Experiences with Personal Protective Equipment in the Workplace, just six per cent of women said that safety gear was designed for them. The report also found that 58 per cent use personal protective equipment (PPE) that is the wrong size at least some of the time; that 28 per cent do not wear all the required PPE at work because of fit issues, and 38 per cent use a workaround to make their PPE fit.

• An April 2022 report done by Social Research and 28 Workforce Development 2024

Development Corporation (SRDC) on behalf of Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) interviewed a number of stakeholders involved with programming aimed at supporting women in the trades to identify barriers that affected these initiatives. Findings included that Women in Trades (WIT) initiatives and the people who delivered this programming often faced sexism and gender-based and other forms of bias and prejudice. Barriers to the success of WIT program also included a lack of sector buy-in, a lack of support and accountability, persistent data gaps, the complexity of the trades sector, and a lack of funding.

“My journey into the trades was driven by a childhood passion for hands-on work, solving problems and crafting. From building dollhouses, creating floor plans, and ripping apart my dad’s lawn mower as a child, to auto mechanics in high school, I uncovered my love for metal work.”

–Samara Sampson, SMWIA Local 285 Understanding this landscape, OBCT has seen success in large part because of the support received from PBCTCO affiliates across the province. Many affiliates have offered use of their training centres and local union halls to facilitate the establishment of local Women’s Committees, which has led to participation in OBCT monthly calls, events, videos, and training sessions. The support received from across the Building Trades and the incredible work done by tradeswomen across the province has allowed the program to grow and for more opportunities to be created assisting women who are already in the trades or are looking to start an apprenticeship in construction.

“I wanted a career I could be proud of but also a career that rewarded me best financially for my time. I didn’t realize how challenging it would be at the beginning, but I think that the challenge is what inspired me to continue learning this trade!”

–Laura Giudice, UA Local 46 Additionally, support from OBCT from the Government of Ontario through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) and from the Ministry of Labour, has allowed the network of tradeswomen to grow and for more supports to be developed and offered, including initiatives like:

Film Project OBCT has produced a series of recruitment videos featuring individual trades. Each video describes the trade, the necessary education, the work environment and expectations, safety, hours, compensation, and opportunities. Tradespeople are interviewed for each trade and are shown on-site performing their job and collaborating with their brothers and sisters on projects.

“Always learning. Even from the other trades. Seeing how things work, the hours, weekends off, and of course the money and health and safety benefits,” –Deneen Clairmont, IBEW Local 105 on the benefits of working in the skilled trades.

While the videos are general in their recruitment information, each focuses on a female tradesperson to help in recruiting a broader cross section of people and to help women “see themselves” in the role. The interview subjects range from young apprentices fresh out of high school to those later in life seeking a second or third career, and possibly raising or having raised a family.

Skills Development and Training Last year, OBCT offered dozens of skills development courses at no cost to participants including:

• OBCT Trades Careers Information Sessions on the first Monday of every month at 6:00 p.m. Open to anyone, tradeswomen facilitate these calls to share their experiences and answer questions from women looking to enter the skilled trades.

• General Committee Meetings on the third Monday of every month at 6:00 p.m. Committee calls create a space for tradeswomen across Ontario to learn what OBCT has planned for the month ahead to connect, mentor, and share experiences.

International Women’s Day For International Women’s Day 2023, OBCT worked with Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario to launch the IWD Tradeswomen Poster Project titled “In Our Hands”. This project connected 24 OBCT tradeswomen with Graphic Design students from Mohawk College to create unique illustrations of the tradeswomen in their careers. The art exhibit was put on display at the Workers Arts and Heritage Centre for several weeks around International Women’s Day. “I will say to my sisters out there, there are several areas of the trades. Explore several areas, find your passion and go for it.

Skilled trades are very rewarding!”

-Temitope Oluyemi, Carpenters Local 27

• Mental Health and First Aid Training

Women in Construction Grant

• Owning the Room

In partnership with Support Ontario Youth and Building Opportunities for Life Today, OBCT is proud to present the Women in Construction Grant for female apprentices in the building and construction trades. Successful recipients can receive $500 and are connected with a female mentor from their own trade to help provide additional career advice and support. More information is available on OBCT’s website.

• How to Run a Good Meeting • Public Speaking and Presenting Skills OBCT is continuing to offer a variety of training opportunities – both in person and virtually, including joint health and safety training, Indigenous cultural competency, mental health and first aid, and more. Course offerings, dates and sign-ups are all available through OBCT’s website.

“The trades provide you with the opportunity to achieve your goals by giving a great starting wage, proper raises, and access to benefits. Even if you feel like the trades aren’t for you, there’s a spot for everyone here!”

-Sasha McDonald, IUPAT OBCT Standard Meetings and Information To continue to connect with more tradeswomen across the province, OBCT holds regular meetings and sends out a monthly newsletter. Meetings include:

How can you get involved?

Share this information with a sister who might be interested, attend one of our monthly meetings, sign up for a training session, follow our social channels to appear as one of our featured #WorkingWomenWednesdays or reach out to: info@obctradeswomen.com.

We can’t wait to hear from you!

“I needed a change from the service industry. I tried welding and fell in love. My father inspired me to get into the construction trades. There was always something about his stories and the hard work that I wanted to be a part of.”

-Taylor Fox, Ironworkers Local 721.

Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 29

Building the workforce of tomorrow

By Klayton Gonçalves, BuildForce Canada

Across Canada, labour market tightness is the name of the game – and the culprit is a rapidly aging workforce. With the youngest of the baby boomers on track to enter retirement age within the coming decade, all industries appear destined to compete for talent in a dwindling pool of skilled young workers.

Canada’s construction industry will certainly feel the pinch. Data from our Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward reports for 2023 to 2032 show the sector is projected to require the recruitment of 299,200 tradespeople so that it may replenish retiring workers and build new capacity.

Our outlook also projects that retirements make up nearly 80 per cent of the total recruitment demand across the 2023–2032 outlook period. Their departure will be felt not just in terms of hours lost, but also in terms of missing experience and know-how.

While the latest labour market data published by Statistics Canada may be pointing to some success by the construction industry at attracting young workers and women, the industry must not take its foot off the proverbial pedal. Should plans to electrify Canada’s economy and double the number of new homes being constructed unfold as planned – to say nothing of the large volume of non-residential activity planned and underway across the country – 30 Workforce Development 2024

construction’s recruitment needs will far exceed the 299,200 projected

by BuildForce Canada.

Wanted: 61,000 workers Based on historical trends, Canada’s construction industry is estimated to welcome 237,800 new entrants from the population aged 30 years and younger across the 2023–2032 outlook period. Although high, that figure is cause for concern.

Even if Canada’s construction industry secures this historical share of young workers, it will still be faced with a recruitment gap of 61,400 workers who will need to be onboarded from other industries or brought in from outside the country.

The retirement of older workers and the potential for strong demands across all sectors of construction suggest that Canada’s construction industry must remain focused on recruiting new workers. The good news is, there are opportunities for the sector to tap into pools of workers that have been traditionally under-represented in construction, namely: women, Indigenous People, and newcomers to Canada.

Attracting and retaining women In 2021, Canada’s construction labour force was made up of approximately 200,030 women.

Since then, the industry’s ongoing efforts to recruit and retain women have proven effective. The female

labour force posted increases of greater than 10 per cent in each of the first six months of 2023. As of July 2023, the female construction labour force stood at 238,300 workers, or about 14 per cent of the overall construction labour force. In addition, the number of women enrolling and completing apprenticeships in construction trades has seen a boost in recent years.

Nevertheless, construction must remain focused on recruitment as women continue to be underrepresented in the industry – and among trade workers in particular. Although approximately 200,000 women were part of the construction labour force in 2021, only 25 per cent worked on site, directly on construction projects.

The remaining 75 per cent worked off site, primarily in administrative and management-related occupations. Of the 1.1 million onsite tradespeople employed across the 34 trades and occupations tracked by BuildForce Canada, women made up five per cent.

Attracting and retaining Indigenous people The Indigenous population is the fastest growing population in Canada and therefore presents recruitment opportunities for Canada’s construction industry.

In 2021, Indigenous people accounted for 5.1 per cent of

Canada’s construction labour force, which is a slight decline from the share of 5.2 per cent observed in 2016. This share is notably higher than the share of Indigenous workers represented in the overall labour force. However, the share of Indigenous people in the labour force across all industries has been growing at a faster pace than construction over the past five years.

As the Indigenous population continues to expand, the industry may need to dedicate further efforts to increasing the recruitment of Indigenous people. This could be made easier by the fact that Indigenous people have historically shown a predisposition toward working in the trades.

Attracting and retaining newcomers Meeting future labour demands will also require the construction industry to leverage contributions from newcomers (immigrants).

lower than the share in the overall labour force.

Considering the recent elevation of federal immigration goals, and based on historical patterns, Canada is anticipated to welcome approximately 4.5 million new international migrants between 2023 and 2032. As immigrants tend to arrive to Canada in their prime working years, this group of workers will make up an increasing proportion of the nation’s core working-age population.

Construction’s recruitment efforts must consider this growing group as a source of labour force growth.

Concluding thoughts Aging demographics, a wealth of major construction projects underway and proposed, the need to rapidly ramp up homebuilding, and the imperative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – these are the key ingredients in the recipe for a busy decade for Canada’s construction industry.

Meeting additional demands, while replenishing the void of retiring workers, will present a challenge and require the construction industry to think creatively about its workforce recruitment efforts. With fierce competition among industries for a relatively smaller pool of young workers, construction must find ways to attract, train, and retain skilled workers that have been traditionally under-represented in the industry.

The targets are aggressive.

Construction’s recruitment efforts must match this intensity. If the industry is to build its workforce of tomorrow, and deliver on all the planned work, it will require all hands on tools.

Klayton Gonçalves is Senior Economist and Head of Business Intelligence with BuildForce Canada.

He is at the forefront of producing BuildForce Canada’s annual labour market forecasts, producing insightful reports and delivering engaging presentations.

As Canada’s natural rate of population growth declines, immigration has become the primary source of population growth. It’s expected to remain so over the coming decade. Indeed, the share of immigrants in Canada’s workforce has increased from 21 per cent in 2011 to 27 per cent in 2021.

Although Canada has been successful in attracting and integrating immigrants into the labour force, immigrants remain under-represented in the construction industry. As of 2021, 19 per cent of Canada’s construction labour force was made up by immigrants. That figure is notably Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 31

MEMBERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Bullying and harassment in the workplace

By David Hedley, BA, MACP, RP

The workplace is meant to be an environment where

Similar behaviour to bullying is sexual harassment in the

everyone feels they can operate safely. When we think of

workplace. It’s often downplayed with the notion that it is

safety, we often focus on worksite safety issues such as

flirting, it’s a compliment to the individual, or it’s “just boys

working at heights, trip hazards, or moving machinery.

being boys.” Sexual harassment has specific attributes:

However, we must also consider the emotional safety of

• Constant requests for a date are an example of sexual

those on the jobsite. Everyone should feel they can work free from intimidation, bullying, or sexual harassment.

harassment. Similar to this, the continual objectification of others by discussing their sex-related body parts.

40 per cent of Canadians have experienced one or more

• Crude names based on the individual’s sexual orientation

acts of workplace bullying at least once a week for the last

or gender are unacceptable.

six months.

1

• Sharing crude jokes, pornography, or sexual stories

Disagreements and heated arguments can occur at

are also forms of sexual harassment. Such behaviour

work, but it becomes bullying when there’s a continual

is not appealing to everyone in the group and does not

aggression and intimidation pattern. “Bullying is

encourage inclusiveness.

aggressive behaviour that is typically repeated over time. It’s meant to cause harm, fear, distress or create a negative environment for another person.”2 •B ullying takes the form of verbal harassment or assault, often focusing on the individual’s race, gender, mental health issues, or appearance.

•B ullying can also be emotional, freezing people out of

The MAP is there to help members dealing with workplace bullying or harassment, and the support has two forms: • First, as already mentioned, bullying and harassment can take different forms, and sometimes, it can be hard to understand what abusive behaviour is and what is not. The counsellor can assist members in recognizing bullying or harassment and how to be heard when bullies

conversations, ignoring them, encouraging the group

aren’t listening.

to ignore them, or encouraging the group to mock the

• Second, the counsellor can provide insight and coping

individual.

mechanisms that allow the member to thrive and heal in

•F inally, bullying can be physical and involve getting in

an otherwise toxic environment.

the individual’s space and physically intimidating them,

Remember, a safe workplace is an inclusive site where

threatening them, or pushing them.

everyone feels emotionally and physically safe.

34 Workforce Development 2024

Sources 1. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/40-ofcanadians-bullied-at-work-expert-says-1.987450 2. https://www.ontario.ca/page/bullying-we-can-allhelp-stop-it Additional Resources •h ttps://tradesmap.org/ •h ttps://canadasafetycouncil.org/workingbully/#:~:text=In%20a%20study%20 conducted%20by%20the%20Workplace%20 Bullying,bullies%20are%20less%20frequent%20 at%2018%20per%20cent.

•h ttps://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/ bullying.html •h ttps://pipsc.ca/labour-relations/stewards/ pocket-guides/pocket-guide-bullying-violence-inworkplace

Getting help from the members assistance program is easy.

Simply Call: 613-742-7962 800-258-7962 Emergency Line: 613-742-5257 Provide your name, birthdate, and union local for immediate service.

Calls are returned within 24 hours and are strictly confidential.

Happy 150th Anniversary to the UBCTC.

Since 1976, the Ontario Painting Contractors Association has fostered collaboration to achieve success in advocacy, education, industry standards and labour relations.

The OPCA welcomes your interest and participation on all issues that impact the architectural and decorative paint and protective coating contractor.

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IBEW Local 115 Quinte St. Lawrence Region Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 35

Mentorship matters

PHOTO CREDIT: SKILLPLAN

The Canadian construction industry is expected to lose

doesn’t necessarily mean they are good at mentoring.

more than 250,000 skilled tradespeople to retirement

Generally speaking, not all journeypersons have taken

in less than a decade. Mentorship is one of the most

training or received guidance on how to be effective

important elements in workforce development.

mentors, and the construction industry’s traditional

Approximately 80 per cent of all training in the trades

mentor-apprentice relationship can use support to

and technical sector takes place on the job through

ensure that consistent knowledge is transferred from

mentoring relationships, and industry relies on the

skilled to unskilled workers.

mentor-apprentice relationship to help develop qualified journeypersons.

Additionally, with today’s diverse and changing workforce, industry needs good mentorship to support,

“Mentorship has long been recognized as an effective

motivate, encourage, and create more supportive work

means of knowledge transfer; a way to pass on important

environments for new workers. Skills development

skills to the upcoming generation, and to produce

leverages the demographic shift, and mentoring – when

productive, highly skilled, and safe workers,” says Kyle

done right – helps reduce the onboarding time for new

Downie, CEO of SkillPlan. “Mentorship is a key factor in

workers and has a positive impact on helping them

developing a qualified journeyperson.”

become more effective, thereby ensuring a stronger,

Yet, there is significant variability in how mentoring takes place. Just because someone is a great tradesperson 36 Workforce Development 2024

safer, and better industry.

“Through effective mentoring, apprentices can learn to

SkillPlan recognizes the need for good mentors and has been working with the construction industry to implement mentorship programs during technical training and employment.

be the best from the best,” says Downie. “Good mentoring

training to monitor and reinforce good mentoring. The

takes skill and expertise. The passing on of knowledge

project also involves a return on investment (ROI) analysis

from one generation to the next will become increasingly

to evaluate the benefits of the program on the workforce,

necessary for apprentices to thrive in their training, their

including improvements in safety, productivity, quality,

jobs, and their ability to take on new roles.”

and the on-time, on-budget delivery of industrial,

SkillPlan recognizes the need for good mentors and

commercial, and residential projects.

has been working with the construction industry to

“Based on extensive feedback from the construction

implement mentorship programs during technical

industry, the primary goal for this project was to develop,

training and employment.

implement, and evaluate a mentorship training model

BuildForce and SkillPlan, along with Social Research and Demonstration Corporation, partnered to undertake an

that will address skills and performance gaps on the job,” says Downie.

Employment and Social Development Canada-funded

Current research results are showing positive trends in

initiative to develop and implement an innovative

safety, productivity, and quality of work with contractors

mentorship training model to ensure workers can

who have embraced this mentorship training for their

improve their skills to gain and maintain a job, and to

workers along with a minimum ROI of approximately for

better adapt and succeed at work.

every dollar you invest in the program you get two dollars

This program is aligned with – and endorsed by – industry,

in return.

and includes mentorship training for apprentices and

To learn more about our mentorship programming, please

journeypersons, train-the-trainer training, and on-the-job

visit us at www.skillplan.ca.

Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 37

Opportunities await: Join the construction of the new Ottawa hospital campus

Algonquins of Pikwakanagan (Chief Kirby Whiteduck, left) chat

Dear Members of the Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, Nunavut and area Indigenous Communities, Exciting news awaits those who are eager to contribute to a transformative project in our region. The approval for the construction of a new Ottawa Hospital campus marks a significant milestone, and you have the chance to be an integral part of this major infrastructure development.

Anticipated to span several years and costing billions of dollars, this project promises not only a remarkable achievement in healthcare but also a unique opportunity for employment, apprenticeship, and community engagement.

For those seeking involvement, answers to inquiries, or simply wanting more information about this groundbreaking endeavor, you are encouraged to reach out to me as a former Pikwakanagan at kwhiteduck@ gbagroup.ca.

I have joined Graham Bird and the GBA Group as Advisor – Indigenous Engagement and Economic Development for this project. This agreement involves key stakeholders, including the President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital, the President of the Unionized Building and Construction Trades Council of Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, and 19 Affiliates of the Building Trades Council.

38 Workforce Development 2024

We are actively seeking individuals interested in employment opportunities on the new hospital construction site, particularly those aspiring to become apprentices in various construction trades. As part of the Indigenous Procurement Strategy and the broader process of Reconciliation, the Council, representing unionized skilled trades, the Provincial Government (Infrastructure Ontario), and The Ottawa Hospital, is dedicated to fostering Indigenous employment and training.

Many Union Locals, signatories to the Project Agreement, have established Apprenticeship Training Centres in Ottawa. These include the carpenters, the bricklayers and allied crafts, the ironworkers and rodmen (metcalfe), the electricians, the plumbers and pipefitters, among others.

The commitment to Indigenous inclusion is evident in the Project Agreement, aligning with the broader effort to enhance Indigenous representation in the skilled trades.

There are 144 apprenticeships in Ontario, with 42 in construction skilled trades, and a substantial number will be engaged in constructing the new hospital. Union Locals actively seek Indigenous apprentices to meet the demand for various ongoing construction projects.

I have personally toured four of the Local Training

A fifth-year Electrical Apprentice (IBEW), for example, can earn $39.33/hour plus additional benefits, with further increases upon completion of the apprenticeship program.

Centres, engaging with their representatives to

$39.33/hour plus additional benefits, with further

gather valuable insights into how unions operate, the

increases upon completion of the apprenticeship

intricacies of becoming an apprentice, and the timeline

program. Once qualified as a Journeyperson, the starting

for completing a traditional quality apprenticeship in a

rate of pay on a union job, such as the new Ottawa

specific trade.

Hospital Campus construction project, is $49.16/hour,

Upon acceptance as an apprentice, the duration of

along with additional benefits.

apprenticeship can range from two to five years,

If you’re intrigued by these opportunities, we are here

depending on the chosen trade. Importantly, Apprentices receive payment while working, and the necessary training and formal education provided at the Training Centres are free. For instance, IBEW Local 586 not only offers free mandatory courses at the union training

to assist. Whether it’s providing information, answering questions, or guiding you through the enrollment process for an apprenticeship program, we are committed to supporting you on this exciting journey.

centre but also reimburses members for the trade

Please feel free to reach out for more information and

school portion based on school transcripts and course

assistance as you consider joining this transformative

completion.

project. Your future in the construction industry awaits,

Wages increase with each year of apprenticeship, providing a tangible incentive for growth. A fifth-year Electrical Apprentice (IBEW), for example, can earn

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and we are here to help you make it a reality.

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Budget a winner for trades, climate, and country Ottawa’s support for tradespeople good news for workers and green transition

By Sean Strickland, Executive Director, Canada’s Building Trades Unions By now you have heard lots of opinions on what’s wrong or right about the latest federal budget. But as far as skilled trades people are concerned, budget 2023 is a winner.

This year’s budget included strong incentives, such as tax credits, to employers to build Canada’s green economy and strengthen our response to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, building on commitments first announced in the Fall Economic Statement.

For the skilled trades sector, the budget includes protection to ensure the men and women who will build the infrastructure necessary for a net-zero economy are treated fairly through a key metric in determining wages and benefits: the prevailing wage.

According to the budget’s definition of the prevailing wage, employers must base wages on compensation, including benefits and pension contributions, from the most recent, widely applicable multi-employer collective bargaining agreement, or corresponding project labour agreements, in the jurisdiction where workers are employed in order to qualify for tax credits and other incentives.

This is a huge win for workers as it provides one of the strongest definitions we’ve ever had in Canada. Tying these incentives to a prevailing wage that includes union compensation, including benefits and pension contributions, will raise the standard of living for all workers, maximize benefits for the entire economy and create a legacy of good paying, middle-class jobs throughout the transition to a clean, emission-free economy.

The March 28 budget included expansions to the previous credits along with an Investment Tax Credit for Clean Electricity and for Clean Technology Manufacturing.

Together, these credits put Canada on a more level playing 40 Workforce Development 2024

field with those found in the United States Inflation Reduction Act. The budget included additional investments that will aid in the transition to sustainable energy, and these types of investments will create good, middle-class jobs including commitment to clean energy transmission through the Atlantic Loop, and further support for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage.

Additionally, at least 10 per cent of the tradesperson hours worked must be performed by registered apprentices in the Red Seal trades. (Those holding Red Seal certification can ply their trade anywhere in Canada.)

The government also intends to apply labour requirements related to the prevailing wage and hours worked by registered apprentices to the Investment Tax Credit for Carbon Capture.

From last year’s budget that included the Labour Mobility Tax Deduction for tradespeople to this year doubling of the Tradespeople Tool Deduction from $500 to $1,000, the Trudeau government has shown respect for unionized workers by delivering measures that directly impact a worker’s wallet.

Canada’s Building Trades Unions are pleased with the demonstrated support of a worker’s right to join a union and collectively bargain, reinforced by the commitment to table amendments to the Canada Labour Code that will prohibit the use of replacement workers during a strike or lockout.

There are exciting years ahead as Canada converts to a zero emissions economy. Canada’s skilled tradespeople are eager to get going thanks to Ottawa’s support.

Sean Strickland is executive director of Canada’s Building Trades Unions, representing more than 600,000 construction workers across the country.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

FACT SHEETS

THE RIGHT TO REFUSE UNSAFE WORK What is the right to refuse?

First Stage:

• All workers have the right to refuse work they believe may endanger their health and safety. Sec. 43, Sub. 3

1. The worker must report the circumstances of the refusal to the supervisor. The worker must remain in a safe place that is as near as reasonably possible to his or her workstation and available to the employer or supervisor for the investigation. The worker is considered to be at work during all stages of the refusal and cannot be reassigned during the first stage of the refusal.

Under what conditions can a worker refuse unsafe work?

• A worker can refuse to work where he or she has “reason to believe” that any equipment, machine, device, or thing is likely to endanger himself, herself, or another person, or if the physical condition of the workplace or workplace violence is “likely” to endanger himself or herself. Sec. 43, Sub. 3(a)(b)(b.1) • Workers have the right to refuse unsafe work when the hazard is a violent or potentially violent person. However, workers described in Sec. 43, Sub. 2 continue to have a limited right to refuse unsafe work. Their refusal cannot endanger the life, health or safety of another person and the refusal cannot be because of a hazard considered to be a normal or inherent part of their job.

Sec. 43, Sub. 3(b.1) • Workers can also refuse where any of these is in contravention of the Act or regulations, and this contravention endangers their health and safety. Sec. 43, Sub. 3(c) • Conditions do not have to be immediately life-threatening for a worker to refuse.

THE PROCEDURE TO REFUSE UNSAFE WORK What are the procedures for refusing unsafe work?

• Workers, supervisors, employers, and inspectors must adhere to the following procedures:

42 Workforce Development 2024

2. The supervisor must make available a union appointed representative or worker committee member and investigate the circumstances in the presence of the worker and the representative. Sec. 43, Sub. 4 3. The supervisor must give the worker an answer as to whether it is safe or unsafe. If the worker is satisfied that the work is safe, then the worker should return to work and the matter is considered resolved.

Second Stage: 1. If the worker has “reasonable grounds” to believe that the work is still unsafe despite the supervisor’s answers or corrective measures, then the worker can continue to refuse, and a Ministry of Labour inspector must be called in to investigate. The refusing worker, the worker representative or the employer can call the inspector.

Sec. 43, Sub. 6 2. When the Ministry of Labour receives a call requesting that an inspector come to a workplace because of a work refusal, the Ministry staff will attempt to decide over the phone whether the work refusal meets their criteria of a valid refusal. In workplaces such as healthcare facilities, developmental services facilities or correctional facilities, inspectors frequently determine over the phone that the circumstances are a normal or inherent part of the job and that the worker does not have the right to refuse. In these cases, even if the MOL inspector makes that decision and

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY FACT SHEETS

THE RIGHT TO REFUSE UNSAFE WORK downgrades the work refusal to a complaint, workers and their representatives must insist that the inspector come to the workplace to investigate and to assist.

In other cases, the inspector may determine over the phone that the parties involved have not completed Stage 1 of the refusal. If you and the employer believe that you have exhausted all attempts to resolve the issue, insist that the inspector come to the workplace.

3. The Ministry of Labour inspector must investigate “in consultation” with the worker, the supervisor, and the worker’s representative. Union representatives and workers should insist that the inspector come to the workplace to investigate. Sec. 43, Sub. 7 If the inspector will not attend, both the union representative and worker must insist that they be present for any telephone conversations between the employer and the inspector. Do not let the employer present their description of the situation without either the union and or worker input.

4. After the inspector’s investigation is completed, the inspector must give a written decision as to whether the work is likely to endanger. Sec. 43, Sub. 8 and 9 5. If the worker disagrees with the inspector’s decision, an appeal can be filed within 30 days with the Ontario Labour Relations Board for a ruling. Sec. 61 Note: Prior to June 2001, inspectors had a legal duty to investigate a work refusal “in the presence” of the worker and her/his representative. Now, however, the Act states that the investigation can take place in “consultation” with the parties. However, current MOL policy states that when an inspector decides over the phone that a work refusal has met MOL criteria as a valid refusal and attempts to resolve it internally have been exhausted, an inspector will be sent to the workplace.

Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council of Ontario 75 International Blvd., Suite 401, Etobicoke, ON M9W 6L9 P: 416-679-8887 F: 416-679-888

Can refused work be reassigned to another worker?

• Yes, during Stage 2 of the refusal. But the employer must advise this worker that the work has been refused and the reasons for the refusal. This must be done in the presence of a worker member of the joint committee, a health and safety representative or a worker selected by the union.

This worker can also refuse if he or she believes the job is unsafe. Sec. 43, Sub.11 Does the worker have to be correct?

• What does “reason to believe” and “reasonable grounds to believe” mean?

• In order to legally refuse to work, the law requires only that a worker have a reasonable belief. A mountain of evidence is not needed. Sec. 43, Sub. 3 Can a supervisor put off or refuse to investigate or send the worker home?

• No. The supervisor must investigate immediately in accordance with the procedure.

• If the supervisor refuses, workers should call a ministry inspector immediately and indicate what has taken place.

Sec. 43, Sub. 4 Do workers have a right to be paid during an investigation of a work refusal?

• Yes. The refusing worker and his/her representative are entitled to payment during all stages of a refusal. Sec. 43, Sub. 13 • During the second stage of the refusal, the law allows the employer to give undefined “other directions” to the worker should no other work be available. Should this result in any loss of pay, benefits or layoff, the employer must prove that this was not a reprisal which is forbidden by the Act. Sec. 43, Sub. 10(b); Sec. 50

Visit www.obtworkplaceresource.com to find a library of fact sheets available for dowload.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY FACT SHEETS

THE RIGHT TO REFUSE UNSAFE WORK Can a worker continue to refuse if the inspector rules that the work is not likely to endanger?

Can an injured or susceptible worker refuse to perform unsafe work?

• The Act is silent on this question and thus full protection is not clearly provided. Generally, the worker returns to work and any dissatisfaction handled through the appeal process.

• Yes. The injured or susceptible worker has a right to refuse unsafe work under Section 43 (3) of OHSA.

• The Ontario Labour Relations Board has ruled in a few cases that since this is not forbidden by the Act, a worker would have the right to continue to refuse to work if the inspector’s decision was not knowledgeably and independently based. These instances would be rare.

• Continuing a work refusal in this circumstance must be carefully considered. Workers are advised to consult their union staff representative on this issue.

Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council of Ontario 75 International Blvd., Suite 401, Etobicoke, ON M9W 6L9 P: 416-679-8887 F: 416-679-888

• The right to refuse applies to a disabled or susceptible worker and not just the average healthy worker.

• The employer has a duty to make appropriate safety provisions that address your medical limitations. While the inspector will not rule specifically on whether an accommodation is appropriate, he/she will determine whether work is likely to endanger a disabled or susceptible worker.

Visit www.obtworkplaceresource.com to find a library of fact sheets available for dowload.

EDI’s impact on attracting youth Equity, diversity, and inclusion are more than buzzwords. Companies that want to excel need to show their new hires diversity at all levels.

By Sharon Barney, Sharon Barney Construction

Business is booming for construction companies and the need for new workers has never been higher. In June alone, the construction industry added nine per cent to its labour pool and the sector is showing few signs of slowing down.

However, if things are so good, why is it that so many businesses struggle to attract new workers? One of the problems is that the sector continues to struggle with its image, and many younger job seekers carry misconceptions as to what a career in the trades actually involves.

“For those unfamiliar, the perception tends to be that construction is very dirty and unwelcoming, and many of Canada’s youth entering the workforce believe construction to be white and male dominated,” says Diversity and Inclusion Specialist Sharon Barney. Through her consulting company, Barney seeks to transform companies into dynamic, learning organizations. “Of course, this ultimately influences young people’s decision making when they’re choosing a career path.”

Today, the majority of construction’s labour force is 46 Workforce Development 2024

comprised of millennials and Gen Z workers – two generations that have come to expect more from their employers than their older counterparts. Young professionals today want their jobs to offer more than just a paycheque and benefits. Increasingly, they want to work for organizations that are socially responsible and are addressing big societal issues like inequality, discrimination, and systemic racism.

“The construction industry needs to create workplaces that are respectful, welcoming, and inclusive in order to attract younger workers,” says Barney. “But it doesn’t just affect the ability to recruit – if younger workers feel that their organization actively champions these kinds of qualities, they’re far more likely to stay there for more than just a year or two. That’s why it’s so important for construction to overhaul its image.”

If you can’t see it, you can’t be it Younger workers want to work somewhere that supports their values. But equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are more than just buzzwords – they need to be lived.

Millennials and Gen Z workers will sense when a company’s EDI efforts are genuine and will turn their backs on anything that feels performative.

As such, younger job seekers tend to avoid organizations that don’t have a clear and concise commitment to the values they cherish. They now expect offices, work sites, managers, and workers to not only be well-versed in EDI, but also to be actively following the principles of creating a work environment that is welcoming for all.

For construction leaders, this means hiring a more diverse workforce, which requires diverse spokespeople and outreach teams, as well as programs that are specifically designed to welcome diverse job candidates.

EDI also means giving those diverse workers more decision-making responsibilities and helping them move up into leadership positions themselves. Having diversity in senior leadership positions is seen as a barometer of how successful your organization is when attracting and retaining members from traditionally under-represented groups.

“If younger workers don’t see a diverse leadership in place, it gives them the impression that they won’t be able to advance into leadership roles themselves – and they’ll walk out the door,” says Barney. “Organizations that choose not to focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion will not be competitive when recruiting the best talent and will lose the talent they already have, which will impact their bottom lines.”

A changing demographic The good news is that the construction industry has already come a long way in changing the way it does business, especially in areas like gender equality.

Between June 2022 and 2023, the number of Canadian women in construction increased by 25,000, compared to 15,500 for men in the same period. In fact, construction has even outpaced the number of women who have entered the general labour force, which says a lot about the strides the construction industry has made over the years.

The changing demographics are also being reflected in websites and the social media of construction companies, which are more up-to-date, diverse, and inclusive, and representative of what younger workers are looking for today.

“When people see themselves represented in an industry, it gives them the feeling that the industry is welcoming,” Barney says. “It says, ‘We want you to work here and we’re going to give you a chance to be an important part of what we do.’ So, while I recognize that there’s still a lot of work to do, I am tremendously optimistic about the future of construction.”

Creating pathways There are many organizations and programs across Canada leading the way in supporting EDI initiatives that work to increase the number of traditionally underrepresented groups in the labour pool.

Launched in April 2023, BuildForce Canada’s Construction Career Pathways program was designed to meet the needs of job seekers looking to explore careers in construction.

Placements are available for up to 1,000 workers, with 50 per cent of the program intake allocated to people from traditionally under-represented groups in the construction sector. Construction Career Pathways is ideally suited to a wide diversity of workers, including women, members of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities, persons with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, and those who identify as LGBTQ2+, as well as people from equity-deserving groups who want to work in construction, young people seeking work experience, and individuals looking for employment or looking to change careers.

For employers, the program connects small and mediumsized companies – those with fewer than 500 employees – with entry-level workers who are looking to begin a career in Canada’s construction industry. A wage subsidy of up to $2,400 per employee is available to businesses when the 16-week work placements are completed, with funding provided by the Government of Canada.

“Construction is at nearly full employment in most regions across the country, and demands are growing,” says Bill Ferreira, Executive Director of BuildForce Canada. “Many companies are finding it hard to hire to respond to those demands, however. Labour force constraints are cutting across many industries.

Construction Career Pathways is a new tool employers can use to connect with workers who are seeking entrylevel opportunities in our sector.”

Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 47

Sustainable jobs can build Canada’s net-zero future

By Kate Walsh, Canada’s Building Trades Unions Seventy-five per cent of tradespeople are nervous about what the future holds when it comes to finding jobs in clean energy, according to a 2021 survey from Abacus Data. But should they be?

“Building a sustainable economy means not only recognizing and acting on the urgency of climate change, but also addressing workers’ needs,” says Sean Strickland, executive director of Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU).

“Working together, we have the opportunity to ensure the federal government takes steps to support workers.

To minimize the negative impacts of the transition to net zero on workers, communities and our economy, thoughtful planning and government supports are incredibly important. That’s why CBTU has been actively engaged with the government on this file.”

For example, in the federal government’s 2022 Fall Economic Statement, there were notable investments including a $250-million commitment to Employment and Social Development Canada to support workers affected by the transition over the next five years, a 48 Workforce Development 2024

new sustainable job stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP), and the creation of a Sustainable Jobs Centre and Secretariat.

The Abacus survey also found 76 per cent of workers are concerned jobs in the renewable sector will not pay as well as jobs in oil & gas. They’re not wrong. According to the United States Bureau of Labor, the median annual wage for a solar photovoltaic installer in 2019 was $44,890 US, while the median annual wage for a wind turbine service technician was $52,910 US. In contrast, jobs in the fossil fuel power sector paid between $70,310 US and $81,460 US. “The oil & gas sector generally pays higher wages and has higher rates of unionization than comparable jobs in the green energy sector,” Strickland says. “So, as Canada transitions to newer technologies, we want to ensure the jobs created by those opportunities offer benefits and family-sustaining wages that will help – not hurt – Canadians.”

The federal government also opened consultations on clean hydrogen and labour conditions for clean

technology investment tax credits – credits that were introduced to compete with incentives being offered in the United States through the Inflation Reduction Act. Recommendations include redefining prevailing wage to be determined by using the highest average wage package, which includes benefits, in each province.

The tax credits also need to be strengthened to remain competitive with the United States’ tax credits, which are increased by five times when prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements are met.

New technologies like small modular reactors (SMRs) have the capacity to provide clean energy for large industrial projects. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories estimates Canada’s SMRs market will be valued at $5.3 billion between 2025 and 2040. Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) has promising uses in Canada’s industrial sector – namely collecting carbon dioxide produced at large, industrial facilities and storing

it permanently deep underground in geological rock formations – something B.C. is well suited for.

In many ways, B.C. has always led the way on green, progressive policies. But there’s still work to be done. As the 2021 heat dome showed, B.C. buildings need to be retrofitted to hold up against a changing climate. Skilled trades jobs in heating and insulation will help to cut emissions and existing community benefit agreements guarantee new large-scale construction projects – including those in green energy – will hire a certain portion of their workforce from local communities as well as help to grow and diversify the skilled trades workforce.

“As we anticipate the federal government will unveil sustainable jobs legislation this spring,” says Strickland, “we will do everything we can to ensure this time Canada gets it right – and that workers don’t need to be nervous about their future.”

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS BC Building Trades Council........................................................7

Niagara Rigging & Erecting Company Ltd.............................. 21

Boilermakers Local #128........................................................IBC

NL Building & Construction Trades.......................................... 31

Canada’s Building Trades Unions............................................33

Ontario Construction Secretariat............................................ 17

Essex & Kent Counties BCTC Local #494................................. 4

Ontario Federation of Labour / Prevention Link.....................11

Hamilton Brantford Building Trades........................................ 15 International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators And Allied Workers Local #95.............................3 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #115...............................................................35 International Union of Elevator Constructors Local #96........ 12

Ontario Painting Contractors Association..............................35 Operative Plasterers & Cement Masons.................................. 41 Ottawa & District Labour Council............................................ 16 Plumbers Steamfitters Welders UA Local #71...................... IFC Provincial Building & Construction Trades

Ironworkers & Rodmen Local #765........................................ 20

Council of Ontario....................................................... 26 & 27

Liuna Local #527.................................................................. OBC

SkillPlan Communication......................................................... 13

Liuna! Ontario Provincial District Council.................................5

Trailer Pros Canada................................................................. 39

Unionized Building & Construction Trades Council 49

ADDITIONAL SKILLED ADDITIONAL SKILLED TRADE RESOURCES

TRADE RESOURCES SKILLED TRADES ONTARIO

SKILLED TRADES In Ontario, there are more than 140 skilled trades to choose from. Learn ONTARIO more about the careers and opportunities open to you.

In Ontario, there are more than 140 skilled trades to choose from. Learn more about the careers and opportunities open to you.

MÉTIERS SPÉCIALISÉS ONTARIO

Métiers spécialisés Ontario se veut un MÉTIERS guichet unique qui fait connaître les occasions qui existent dans les métiers SPÉCIALISÉS spécialisés, tout en mettant de l’avant des carrières enrichissantes qui soutiennent ONTARIO l’économie de la province.

Métiers spécialisés Ontario se veut un guichet unique qui fait connaître les occasions qui existent dans les métiers spécialisés, tout en mettant de l’avant des carrières enrichissantes qui soutiennent l’économie depas la peur province.

Si tu n’as de faire des

TRAVAILLER EN CONSTRUCTION

efforts, que t’aime ça être en gang et que tu veux un métier qui va changer ta vie, Fais comme eux, trouve ta place.

TRAVAILLER EN CONSTRUCTION JOBS PROTECTION OFFICE (JPO)

Si tu n’as pas peur de faire des efforts, que t’aime ça être en gang et que tu veux un métier qui va The Jobs in the changer taProtection vie, FaisOffice, comme eux, Ontario Ministry of Labour, is trouve ta place. responsible for overseeing and promoting the agreement, responds to public complaints about construction-related issues.

JOBS PROTECTION OFFICE (JPO)

50 Workforce Development 2024

The Jobs Protection Office, in the

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BOILERMAKERS LOCAL 128

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