To the Editor,
As the Canadian government moves ahead its plans to build 500,000 new homes annually, expand energy systems and modernize our cities the skilled trades will be critical to achieving this. The federal commitment to cover up to $8,000 in apprenticeship training costs per person is a welcome move, but it won’t be enough on its own.
Promising doesn’t mean practical. By 2028, nearly 700,000 tradespeople are expected to retire, creating a massive shortage of workers across construction. Too often, skilled trades are still seen as a fallback career choice. This outdated perception is undermining our ability to recruit the talent needed.
The reality on jobsites is changing fast. From smart building materials to green retrofits and modular construction, the industry is increasingly shaped by innovation, sustainability and technology. These aren’t just manual labour jobs anymore, they require a new level of technical skill and adaptability.
Yet our training systems haven’t kept pace. The Skills Council of Canada has warned that graduates often leave school without the hands-on skills employers need. Fixing this requires stronger collaboration between educators and employers, and curriculum that reflects what’s actually happening in the field. While federal investments in apprenticeships are helpful, we need to revisit the programs themselves to better align with industry demands.
With so much riding on the skilled trades, it’s not enough to simply close the labour gap — we need to close the skills gap, too. That means targeted investments in modern, responsive post-secondary programs that can build the workforce Canada needs to deliver on its ambitions.
Peter Lewis
President and CEO
Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation
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