Feds announce $6B plan to recruit and train more skilled trades workers

The federal government announced it is committing $6 billion over the next five years to recruit and train as many as 100,000 new skilled trades workers, as part of the spring economic update. The Team Canada Strong program aims to fast-track Red Seal certifications and lower financial barriers for young Canadians the trades.

The Team Canada Strong will:

• Recruit:
  • We will deploy $2 billion to support young Canadians with paid, job-ready placements that lead directly into registered apprenticeships.
  • This investment will also support the launch of the Build Canada Apprenticeship Serviceto provide up to $10,000 for an apprentice’s first-year salary, match apprentices to job opportunities, and offer direct navigation and support to help employers hire, train, and retain apprentices.
• Train:
  • We will boost and modernise apprenticeship training to expedite Red Seal certification with $331 million in funding over five years, starting in 2026-27, and $18 million ongoing.
  • We will digitise the Red Seal Program, introducing online exams, digital logbooks, and secure credentials to reduce certification timelines, including by creating a single national registered apprenticeship number.
  • We will expand the Union Training and Innovation Program to enable union-run training centres to upgrade facilities, expand capacity, and invest in modern equipment.
• Hire:
  • We will provide $3.4 billion over five years, starting in 2026-27, and $468 million ongoing to address the challenges that can stop apprentices from completing their training and moving into permanent jobs.
  • We will offer a one-time $5,000 apprenticeship completion bonus to those that obtain certification in a Red Seal trade.
  • With the Apprenticeship Training Grant, we will provide a $400 weekly top-up while apprentices attend mandatory in-class technical training.
    • This represents a total payment of up to $16,000 per apprentice, paid in addition to Employment Insurance.

Reaction from Canada’s labour unions and trades organizations, was overwhelmingly positive.

With Ontario facing acute construction labour shortages and ambitious housing supply targets, Skills Ontario said it is encouraged by the federal government’s clear recognition that skilled trades are essential to meeting the goal of doubling the construction of homes while addressing long-term demographic challenges.

“Today’s economic statement sends a strong message: Canada—and Ontario in particular—cannot build its future without skilled tradespeople,” said Ian Howcroft, CEO of Skills Ontario. “These investments will help strengthen training capacity, reduce barriers for apprentices, and inspire more young people to pursue these high-demand careers.”

The Canadian Executive Board of Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) today welcome the measures announced in the federal Spring Economic Statement that put skilled trades workers at the centre of the federal government’s nation building, major projects, and affordability agenda.

“Today’s Spring Economic Statement is a strong statement of support and respect for Canada’s skilled trades workers and the role we play in building our country,” said Robert Kucheran, chair of the Board of Canada’s Building Trades Unions. “Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new, majority, Liberal government has responded to the men and women who do this work, and the measures announced today will make a real difference for our 500,000 members and their families.”

Further, the measures announced today on the Labour Mobility Tax Deduction are a tremendous win for Canada’s skilled tradespeople and a meaningful affordability measure for the families who depend on this work.

“Our members work hard, often far from home, to build Canada,” said CBTU executive director Sean Strickland. “Today’s measures will be felt at kitchen tables across the country. This announcement demonstrates a strong commitment to helping Canada Building Trades meet the moment by investing in increased capacity for union training centres, significant increase in apprenticeship supports, and incentives to attract youth to the trades, and tax relief to encourages construction workers to go to where the work is.

Featured image: (Government of Canada)