HAMILTON, ONT. — Construction stakeholders are heralding the announcement of significant new funding for Hamilton’s LRT project as great news that will create numerous jobs in the sector and boost apprenticeships.
“The recent announcement by the federal and provincial governments to invest $3.4 billion towards building a Light Rail Transit system in Hamilton is very good news for the community,” said Mark Ellerker, business manager of the Hamilton-Brantford Building and Construction Trades Council, in a statement. “This announcement comes at a crucial time, as we are addressing the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The funds, which include contributions of $1.7 billion per level of government, will cover the cost of building a 14-kilometre line from McMaster University to Eastgate Square in Hamilton’s Stoney Creek community. The spending commitments were announced May 13.
The Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario took the opportunity of the funding announcement to unveil a new training program.
“In conjunction with this significant infrastructure investment, the Building Trades are proud to launch the Tomorrow’s Trades in the Hammer program,” said Patrick Dillon, Building Trades business manager.
The workforce development pilot, one of four similar pilots in the province, will see Building Trades training centres partnering with community groups and local contractors to offer training opportunities for candidates from under-represented groups in the Hamilton area. The candidates will receive introductory training and mentorship to prepare them for apprenticeships in the construction trades.
During the announcement ceremony, LIUNA International vice president Joseph Mancinelli was singled out by federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Catherine McKenna for his efforts to keep the project alive after the Doug Ford government initially cancelled it in December 2019, citing rising costs.
“We applaud the collaborative effort by the federal and provincial government to get shovels in the ground on the highly anticipated Hamilton LRT. Investing in transit infrastructure will continue to spur economic activity and recovery while creating thousands of jobs for the members of LIUNA while building a viable transit system for the City of Hamilton,” said Mancinelli in a statement.
The Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) also praised the announcement.
“This project is fantastic news for Hamilton, its economy and residents, provided that local skilled workers and companies have an equal shot at building it,” said Karen Renkema, vice-president, Ontario for the PCA. “A project of this scale and scope, funded with public tax dollars, should be open to all qualified skilled tradespeople.”
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