Yesterday, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Steve MacKinnon alongside Edmonton Centre MP Randy Boissonnault announced that the Government of Canada will invest nearly $5 million to support the training of over 290 Indigenous Red Seal apprentices through the Trade Winds to Success Training Society, an Edmonton-based pre-trades training centre. This funding – provided by the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy – aims to equip a skilled workforce to help meet Canada’s ambitious housing goal of constructing 3.87 million new homes by 2031. This investment will inspire Indigenous youth overcome barriers to joining the trades by offering academic upgrading, mentorship, safety ticket training, mock interviews, employment and union connections – among other services – helping these apprentices graduate from their programs and secure jobs. Additionally, through the Towards Net Zero Residential Construction project, apprentices will gain career skills using tools and methods that assist Indigenous, rural, remote, and under-resourced communities to reduce residential greenhouse gas emissions. Programs and funding like this will help meet the country’s demanding need for skilled labour while offering more Indigenous students the tools to build lasting careers and contribute to their communities, their environment, and the economy. The CLRA looks forward to more announcements like that

As we step into the new year, CLRA is proud to support the continued success of Helmets to Hardhats in connecting Canada’s military community to purposeful careers in the skilled trades. In 2024, we saw remarkable progress as Helmets to Hardhats expanded its outreach and enhanced its programs to better serve Veterans, transitioning service members, and military families. With their ongoing efforts, they engaged future leaders at Cadet camps, launched new initiatives in Indigenous communities, and rolled out additional training programs to prepare individuals for a variety of trades roles. Thanks to new funding in Ontario and Alberta, Helmets to Hardhats continues to play a critical role in bridging the gap between the military community and unionized construction careers. In 2024, Helmets to Hardhats registered 364 Veterans, 55 employers, 29 dependents, and 15 Afghan refugees, issuing 381 referrals to connect them with new opportunities. They also hosted a memorable Veterans and Industry Appreciation Day at Woodbine Racetrack, bringing together Veterans, industry leaders, and other partners to celebrate the impact of their work. In addition, they continued providing free safety training to H2H clients in Ontario and have upcoming plans to expand this service into Alberta, helping even more Veterans transition

The provinces have long played a vital role in shaping immigration policy in Canada, but changes are afoot. Recent federal cuts to immigration levels – as outlined in the 2025-27 Immigration Levels Plan – have placed a disproportionate burden on provinces by reducing their involvement in immigration through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), an organization that allows Canadian provinces to annually select immigrants based on their unique economic and labour market needs. This is the topic examined in the Business Council of Alberta’s latest report on immigration policy, one that resonates with CLRA and our advocacy work. The number of immigrants in the skilled trades in Canada surged in the late 2000s and early 2010s as the immigration selection system responded to the growing demand for skilled tradespeople. In fact, in the years following their admission, immigrated tradespeople experienced significantly higher employment rates than their non-trades peers. With the construction sector presently grappling with the skilled labour shortage and waves of retirements, it’s clear that the need for tradespeople – both new and native to Canada – is still high. The BCA report shares that several of the occupations and industries prioritized by the federal government – including the skilled