June 8, 2022

The skilled trades are at the centre of Canada’s economic recovery. Few industries are as essential to Canadians’ everyday lives. Smart investments are needed to support Canadians from all backgrounds in taking up apprenticeship training now, and kick-starting lucrative careers in well-respected skilled trades.

The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough was at the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum’s (CAF) 2022 National Apprenticeship Conference to announce the launch of the new, federal Apprenticeship Service. The Government of Canada is investing close to $247 million in 13 projects that will enable small and medium-sized employers (SMEs) to offer apprenticeship training opportunities.

Over the next two years, first-year apprentices in eligible Red Seal trades will get the hands-on experience and training they require to progress toward becoming certified in the Red Seal trades as a result of connecting with opportunities at these employers. The organizations that are being funded under the Apprenticeship Service will distribute financial incentives to SMEs, and provide additional supports, such as help navigating the apprenticeship system, onboarding apprentices, and creating welcoming and inclusive workplaces. To help marginalized Canadians, the incentives are doubled for SMEs who hire from equity-deserving groups, such as women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous people and racialized people. The Government’s investment today will create more than 25,000 new apprenticeship positions across Canada.

As part of the announcement, Minister Qualtrough highlighted funding of over $45 million to the CAF for a project that will provide financial support to SMEs to hire 4,000 first-year Red Seal apprentices in the construction and manufacturing trades. Other highlights of her address to the delegates included: Budget 2022 investments in support of the trades, the need to ensure women, Indigenous youth, racialized Canadians, newcomers and persons with disabilities have equal opportunities to build successful careers in the trades, and the critical role of Canada’s apprenticeship systems to support Canada’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the CAF conference, Minister Qualtrough underscored the importance of working together with all partners involved to address the need to recruit and train thousands of tradespeople in the next few years. The support of all levels of government, industry, employers, Indigenous communities and unions is crucial to enhance Canada’s apprenticeship system and build a strong and resilient trades workforce.

29 Red Seal Trades are eligible for funding including, industrual and construction electrician, and powerline technician. There are 13 projects that the funding is being delivered through:

Organization: Electricity Human Resources Canada
Title: Apprentices Building Canada’s Reduced Carbon Future
Description: This project will provide financial support to 350 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the electricity, energy efficiency and clean-tech industries in hiring on 1400 new first-year apprentices in Red Seal Trades positions.
Region: Canada
Funding Amount: $8,211,000

Organization: Canadian Apprenticeship Forum – Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage
Title: Apprenticeship Service: Supporting SMEs to Hire and Train New Apprentices
Description: This project will create work opportunities for 5,000 new apprentices by supporting a desire to pursue a career in construction, enhanced employer capacity and quality training outcomes.
Region: Canada
Funding Amount: $45,633,430

Organization: UBCJA – Canadian District United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners
Title: UBC Apprenticeship Service Program
Description: This project will enhance recruitment efforts and retention, across Canada, of new Apprentices in Red Seal Trades while developing and implementing supports and incentives for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to engage and become active partners in supporting underrepresented communities into the Red Seal Trades.
Region: Canada
Funding Amount: $36,864,238

Organization: Canadian Institute of Steel Construction
Title: CISC Steel Industry Apprenticeship SME Fund
Description:  This project will provide funding to intermediaries that have the capacity to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to hire new, first-year apprentices, as well as to advocate the benefits of apprenticeship training including how it progressively increases each year over the course of the apprenticeship period.
Region: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island
Funding Amount: $27,124,645

Organization: Christian Labour Association of Canada
Title: CLAC Apprenticeship Support Program
Description:  This project will support employers to hire 2,000 new, first year apprentices and provide financial incentives to participating SMEs and additional supports to hiring and onboarding new apprentices.
Region: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario.
Funding Amount: $14,737,554

Organization: Building and Construction Trades Department
Title: CBTU Apprenticeship Services Program
Description: The project will help 5,000 first-year Red Seal trade apprentices, including 20% from key groups, progress through training, obtain Red Seal certifications and find employment in regions across Canada.
Region: British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia
Funding Amount: $48,877,900

Organization: Lethbridge Youth Foundation
Title: Lethbridge: Facilitation Investment for Red Seal Trades
Description:  This project will assist 80 first year apprentices including 25 women, 5 Indigenous, 5 Newcomers, and 5 from racialized communities, access employment opportunities within the 39 construction and/or manufacturing Red Seal trades, through financial incentives to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.
Region: Alberta (Lethbridge)
Funding Amount: $817,113

Organization: Rupertsland Institute
Title: RLI Apprenticeship Service Program
Description:  The project will manage and distribute funds to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) across the province of Alberta to hire new, first-year Métis Red Seal apprentices.
Region: Alberta
Funding Amount: $5,046,157

Organization: Gabriel Dumont Institute Training and Employment Inc.
Title: GDI Indigenous Trades
Description: The project will foster the development of a training culture with its employer partners by offering incentives and supports to employers who create new apprenticeship jobs and commit to train and certify Indigenous Apprentices to national industry standards by delivering apprenticeship-specific labour market development programming and best practices.
Region: Saskatchewan
Funding Amount: $1,825,980

Organization: First Peoples Development Inc.
Title: FPDI Apprenticeship Support
Description:  This project seeks to work with a network of employers to hire up to 3000 apprentices, with 1500 from key groups including Indigenous peoples, women and youth in rural and remote communities.
Region: Manitoba, including Rural/Remote First Nation communities across Manitoba
Funding Amount: $47,473,953

Organization: Canadian Skills Training and Employment Coalition
Title: Manufacturing Apprenticeship Consortia
Description: This project seeks to increase the number of new, first-year industrial apprenticeships, specifically to support the registration of 250 first-year apprentices and 70 manufacturing SMEs in fields such as Industrial Millwright, Electrician, Metal Fabricator, Machinist, Welder, and Tool and Die Makers in Ontario.
Region: Ontario (Toronto)
Funding Amount: $1,978,996

Organization: Family Services of Peel
Title: Bridging Skills Trade Program
Description: The project will recruit, orient, connect and direct new red seal skilled trades candidates to the many apprenticeship opportunities in the manufacturing and construction sectors.
Region: Ontario (Mississauga)
Funding Amount: $4,519,321

Organization: Okanagan College
Title: Apprenticeship Hiring Project
Description:  This project will work with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in British Columbia’s Okanagan communities, providing them the support to hire first-year apprentices in one or more construction and/or manufacturing Red Seal trade.
Region: British Columbia (Okanagan Region)
Funding Amount: $3,031,449

Quick facts

Approximately 700,000 skilled trades workers are expected to retire in Canada by 2028. According to the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, to meet the demand for skilled journeypersons in Red Seal Trades, an average of around 75,000 new apprentices will need to be hired per year in the next five years. Top trades most at risk of not meeting the demand include welder, industrial mechanic (millwright), bricklayer, boilermaker, cook and hairstylist.
According to BuildForce Canada, the construction industry needs to recruit 309,000 new workers over the next decade (2021 to 2030), driven predominantly by the expected retirement of 259,100 workers (22% of the current labour force).
The Government of Canada is investing nearly $1 billion annually in apprenticeship supports through grants, loans, tax credits, Employment Insurance benefits during in-school training, project funding, and support for the Red Seal program. Announced in Budget 2019, the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy will strengthen existing apprenticeship supports and programs by helping apprentices and key apprenticeship stakeholders, including employers, to participate and succeed in the skilled trades.
To highlight the value of skilled trades workers and the wide range of supports available to build a successful and fulfilling career in the trades, the Government launched an advertising campaign earlier this year to promote the skilled trades as first choice careers for young people. The campaign website (Canada.ca/skilled-trades) provides Canadians with information about what the skilled trades are, how to become a tradesperson, and what financial supports are available to them while in training.

Measures in Budget 2022 to support skilled trades workers
- $84.2 million over four years to double funding for the Union Training and Innovation Program to help apprentices from underrepresented groups begin and succeed in careers in the skilled trades through mentorship, career services, and job-matching.
- A new Labour Mobility Deduction, which would provide tax recognition on up to $4,000 per year in eligible travel and temporary relocation expenses to eligible tradespersons and apprentices. This measure would apply to the 2022 and subsequent taxation years.
- $2.5 million in 2022-23 for Employment and Social Development Canada to launch a new union-led advisory table that brings together unions and trade associations. The table will advise the government on how to help workers navigate the changing labour market, with a particular focus on skilled, mid-career workers in at-risk sectors and jobs.

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