Last week, the Alberta Government released their 2025-2026 budget called Meeting the Challenge. Alberta’s Budget 2025 aims to address the province’s challenges, including economic uncertainties due to volatile oil prices, potential U.S. tariffs, and rising pressure on public services from increased population growth. Budget 2025 focuses on both immediate relief for residents and long-term economic stability, while carefully managing fiscal health. The total revenue forecast for 2025-26 is $74 billion, a decrease of $6.6 billion from the 2024-25 third-quarter forecast of $81 billion. The revenue forecast reflects economic volatility and uncertainties related to potential tariffs and trade conflicts with the U.S. Operating expenses are forecasted to increase by 3.6%, or $2.2 billion, in 2025-26, primarily to support areas such as health, education, disability supports, and affordable housing. The CLRA welcomes the government’s focus in the 2025-2028 Strategic Plan to support skilled trades education, training, and apprenticeship opportunities. Included in this budget are: $78 million to add more seats in apprenticeship classes across Alberta. $113 million for scholarships and the Alberta Student Grant. $4 million to First Nations Colleges Grant for colleges in rural, Indigenous communities. $135 million to skilled trades programs (apprenticeship delivery, grants, adult learning initiatives) each year with

Alberta needs more tradespeople – from all walks of life. In 2015, Construction Labour Relations Alberta (CLRA) alongside the Building Trades of Alberta (BTA) created the Workforce Development Trust (WFDT) when both groups recognized this need to invest in programs that grow, train, and support the province’s construction workforce. Since then, 2 cents for every hour worked by skilled trades construction contractors under CLRA/BTA/GPMC collective agreements have been donated to the Trust, summing over $4 million in contributions to date. Over the past decade, these funds have been donated to various beneficiaries including Helmets to Hardhats Canada, Trade Winds to Success, and Women Building Futures; all organizations that help equip, educate, and assist Albertans entering trades careers. A significant partner of CLRA’s in this venture is The Educational Partnership Foundation (TEPF), an Alberta-based charity known for exposing hundreds of thousands of students to their literacy and trades careers programming every year. Besides offering bursaries to financially support students in their apprenticeship journeys, they provide two streams of specialized trades career support: one for high school students broadly, and the other for Indigenous Canadians more specifically. Indigenous students entered in these Trades Careers programs receive comprehensive training both on and off

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