Helping close to 30,000 Canadian workers pursue the jobs and opportunities of tomorrow

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

March 18, 2025

The race to decarbonization is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create good-paying jobs, grow our economy and lower harmful emissions. By investing in union training programs and giving tradespeople the green skills required to meet this moment, we are ensuring that Canadian workers play an active role in that race and assume an outsized position in the jobs and opportunities it promises to bring.

Today, the Minister of Jobs and Families Steven MacKinnon announced more than $67 million across 10 projects to help equip approximately 29,300 tradespeople with high-demand skills as industries shift to greener, low-carbon alternatives. This funding will run from 2025 to 2030.

These projects, funded by the Sustainable Jobs funding stream of the Union Training and Innovation Program under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, complement the investment in the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund that helps thousands of workers to upgrade or gain the new skills required for a green economy.

This funding is part of the Government’s response to the skilled trades workforce’s most pressing needs, including addressing barriers to successful entry, supporting progression and completion of apprenticeships, addressing the housing crisis, and increasing net-zero construction to unlock Canada’s economic potential.

Today’s announcement is another step the Government is taking to grow Canada’s economy and create well-paying sustainable jobs for generations to come.

Quotes

“Just as entire sectors are changing, so too should our workforce. Today’s more than $67-million investment in the jobs, sectors and opportunities of tomorrow underscores this change and the work we are doing to help train 29,300 tradespeople with the green skills they need to help Canada not only get ahead of this green shift but stay there too.”

– Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Jobs and Families

“This investment ensures Canada’s tradespeople will have the skills to meet the moment as we transition to a cleaner, greener economy. The projects supported through this funding will ensure well-paid, unionized, skilled tradespeople lead the way on clean economic growth, and ensure Canada can seize the once-in-a-generation opportunity to gain a competitive edge in the global race for clean economy investments.”

– Sean Strickland, Executive Director, Canada’s Building Trades Unions

Quick facts

• The Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy’s Sustainable Jobs funding stream and the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund are part of Canada’s comprehensive sustainable jobs approach, as outlined in the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act and the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan for 2023 to 2025, which guides Canada’s efforts to move to a net-zero emissions economy.
• Some examples of industries where tradespeople with green training are required include low-carbon building construction, clean energy deployment, and the zero-emission vehicles and battery supply chain. Home retrofits and new builds increasingly require construction workers to be equipped with specialized skills to work on energy-efficient high-performing buildings.
• The Government of Canada invests nearly $1 billion annually in apprenticeship supports through loans, tax credits, Employment Insurance benefits during in-school training, project funding, and support for the Red Seal Program to help build a robust skilled trades workforce for the future.
• Budget 2024 and Canada’s Housing Plan have charted a path to unlocking 3.87 million new homes by 2031. This means Canada needs to hire and train thousands of new skilled tradespeople who can help build these houses.
• To help address the growing need for skilled trades workers, Budget 2024 announced the Government’s intention to deliver a $90-million investment for the Apprenticeship Service to support small and medium-sized employers in creating placements for apprentices and $10 million for the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness program to encourage Canadians to explore and prepare for careers in the skilled trades.
• Canada.ca/skilled-trades provides Canadians with information about the skilled trades, including how to become a tradesperson and what financial supports are available to them while in training.

Associated links

• Backgrounder: Sustainable Jobs Stream
• About the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy
• Union Training and Innovation Program
• Sustainable Jobs Training Fund
• Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan
• Budget 2024
• Canada.ca/skilled-trades

Contacts
For media enquiries, please contact:

John Fragos
Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Jobs and Families
john.fragos@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

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