Building Trades Council Welcomes Liberal Funding Announcement on Training

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sept. 16, 2015) - "The Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario applauds Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party of Canada's recent pledge to invest in more apprenticeship training programs and facilities that will impact hundreds of communities across the country," said Patrick Dillon, Business Manager and Secretary Treasurer, commenting on yesterday's announcement.

The Liberals have announced that $750 million will be invested in apprenticeship programs per year, while $25 million per year have been pledged towards facilities that train Canada's future workforce. "Over the last 10 years, Stephen Harper's Conservative government has forced provinces and territories to pick up the slack for his absence in providing the coordinated training assistance that our industry expects from the federal government," explained Dillon.

"Investing in apprenticeship training makes good economic sense," he said. "Giving the workers the skills that will help elevate them to the middle class will strengthen our economy. It is an investment that will sustain the careers of many Canadian workers."

According to Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau "by investing in skills training for Canada's labour force, Liberals are not only correcting the mistakes of the Harper decade - we are building a country that gives everyone a real and fair chance to succeed."

"Access to meaningful employment in the trades is best-secured through strong, bona fide apprenticeship training programs that serve infrastructure needs and the future workforce" said Dillon, adding that "reliable federal funding is a key pillar in that regard, and we congratulate the Trudeau team for taking this bold step."

The Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council of Ontario is an organization that represents 150,000 construction workers.