Steven MacKinnon
Minister of Jobs
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario,
K1A 0A6
Dear Minister MacKinnon,
On behalf of the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU), the largest association of independent labour unions in the country, I am writing to express my extreme disappointment in your government’s decision to end skilled trades apprenticeship grants.
As you are aware, the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant and the Apprenticeship Completion Grant will both end on March 31, 2025. Applications will not be accepted after this date. Even worse, the highly successful Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women pilot program – which gave hundreds of women across Canada an open door to the skilled trades – ended two years ago and wasn’t renewed.
These poorly conceived decisions come at a time when the country is facing critical shortages in skilled trades workers across multiple industries. The decision not only threatens the livelihoods of thousands of aspiring tradespeople but also undermines efforts to strengthen the economy, increase wages, and ensure the sustainability of essential industries.
I was honoured to take part in the Workforce Summit in September 2024 in Montreal, where I listened to you speak specifically about building an economy of the future, ensuring that jobs are created in Canada that support workers, their families and communities. Delegates agreed that one of the best ways to do this was investing in the skilled trades. Yet the cancellation of these vitally important apprenticeship programs does the exact opposite.
Apprenticeships are a fundamental component of workforce development in Canada. They provide aspiring tradespeople with the necessary skills, hands-on training, and experience to succeed in their respective fields. More importantly, apprenticeships serve as a pathway to stable, well-paying jobs that contribute to the overall prosperity of working-class Canadians.
Over the years, the federal government’s investment in skilled trades apprenticeship grants has played a crucial role in making these programs accessible to workers. These grants have provided financial support to apprentices as they complete their training, helping to cover costs associated with tuition, tools, and other expenses. For many, this support has been the deciding factor in pursuing a career in skilled trades, particularly for underrepresented groups, including women, Indigenous peoples, and new Canadians.
With the abrupt cancellation of these grants, many aspiring workers may now face financial barriers that prevent them from entering the trades, exacerbating the already dire labour shortages across the country.
Labour market experts and industry leaders have warned for years that Canada is experiencing a worsening shortage of skilled trades workers. The construction, manufacturing, transportation, and energy sectors, among others, have reported significant challenges in hiring qualified workers. According to BuildForce Canada, approximately 700,000 tradespeople are expected to retire by 2028, leaving a massive gap in the labour force that must be filled.
Despite this, the federal government’s decision to cut financial support for apprenticeship programs directly contradicts the needs of the economy. Without adequate funding, far fewer people will be able to afford the necessary training to become electricians, welders, carpenters, and other desperately needed trades professionals. This will lead to even greater workforce shortages, delaying critical infrastructure projects, stalling economic growth, and putting additional strain on existing workers.
Governments at all levels must recognize that the skilled trades are the backbone of our economy. From the homes we live in to the roads we drive on, from the electricity that powers our cities to the manufacturing that keeps our industries running—skilled trades workers make it all possible. Cutting funding for apprenticeship training undermines the very foundation of economic progress and prosperity in Canada.
The Confederation of Canadian Unions strongly urges the federal government to reconsider its decision and reinstate full funding for skilled trades apprenticeship programs. Investing in these programs is not just a matter of fairness and opportunity. It is a crucial economic strategy that benefits workers, employers, and communities alike.
The time to act is now. We urge the federal government to reverse course and commit to the long-term success of Canada’s skilled trades workforce. Our future depends on it.
Sincerely,
Gregory Ball
President, Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU)
president@ccu-csc.ca
www.ccu-csc.ca
