About us

Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) are the national voice of over half a million Canadian construction workers—members of 14 international unions who work in more than 60 different trades and occupations, and generate six percent of this country’s GDP.

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The National Voice

Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) is the national voice of over half a million Canadian construction workers—members of 14 international unions who work in more than 60 different trades and occupations, and generate six percent of this country’s GDP.

Officially CBTU is the Canadian Office of the North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU). We work closely with our American counterparts to coordinate and support the work of our affiliates.

We are also active in the American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), which works to ensure decent pay and benefits, safe jobs, respect and fair treatment for more than 12 million members of 56 unions throughout North America.

Workers pointing.

Our Mission

Our mission is to represent all workers in the building, construction, fabrication and maintenance industry and support their efforts to improve their working conditions and quality of life. In pursuit of our goals we continuously seek to build our workforce and strengthen our industry.

We build our workforce by fostering pride, performance, and professionalism in the trades, and by supporting training that prepares our members for life-long career opportunities. We also strive to ensure that the construction industry offers the most financially satisfying and personally rewarding career path open to young Canadians.

We strengthen our industry by providing solutions that meet the challenges of our changing, energy-conscious world, and by delivering unmatched value for contractors and owners—proving that developing a partnership with Canada’s Building Trades Unions is the best investment they will ever make.

Our Affiliates

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC)
International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers (IAHFIAW)
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC)
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)
Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA)
Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association of the United States And Canada (OPCMIA)
Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART)
United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA)

Provincial Councils

CBTU’s provincial councils represent members’ interests in every jurisdiction across the country. These councils strive to improve provincial labour laws and educational standards and help to coordinate the activities of local offices.

Local Councils

Our Team


Executive Board

Canada’s Building Trades Unions

Sean Strickland
Director

72 Chamberlain Avenue Ottawa, ON K1S 1V9

Tel: 613-236-0653
Fax: 613-230-5138

United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada

Terry Snooks
Director of Canadian Affairs

442 Gilmour Street Ottawa, ON K2P 0R8

Tel: 613-565-1100
Fax: 613-565-1200

International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers

Paul Faulkner
Vice President, Eastern Canada

426 Rue Joliboise Lavalttie, QC J5T 1X2

Tel: 450-586-0706
Fax : 450-935-0709

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Gary Kitchen
Construction Director

2525 Annie Street Windsor, ON N8T 3K8

Tel: 519-944-9880

International Union of Operating Engineers

Patrick Campbell
Regional Canadian Director

350 Sparks Street, Suite 1102 Ottawa, ON K1R 7S8

Tel:613-567-5544
Fax:613-567-5577

Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association of the United States and Canada

Chris Feller
Vice President

12309-Industrial Avenue Surrey, BC V3V 3S4

Tel: 604-585-9198
Fax: 604-585-9194

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers

Colin Daniels
Executive Director of Canadian Affairs

1434 Chemong Road N. Unit 12-13 Peterborough, ON K9J 6X2

Tel: 705-748-3099
Fax: 705-748-3028

International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers

Craig Strudwick
Regional Director of Canada

2100 Thurston Drive, Unit #3 Ottawa, ON K1G 4K8

Tel: 613-739-5944
Fax: 613-739-5945

Labourers’ International Union of North America

Joseph Mancinelli
Vice President Canadian Director and Regional Manager for Central and Eastern Canada

44 Hughson Street, South Hamilton, ON L8N 2A7

Tel: 905-522-7177
Fax: 905-522-9310

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Russ Shewchuk
International Vice President

1450 Meyerside Drive, Suite 300 Mississauga, ON L5T 2N5

Tel : 905-564-5441
Fax : 905-564-8114

International Union of Painters and Allied Trades

Robert Kucheran
General Vice President

1430 Osprey Drive Ancaster, ON L9G 4V5

Tel: 905-304-0001
Fax: 905-304-3389

International Union of Elevator Constructors

Ben McIntyre
National Organizer

29 Woodland Estate Rd. Campbellford, ON K0L 1L0

Tel : 416-678-5856

Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers

Chris Paswisty
Director of Canadian Affairs

176 McDonnel Street Peterborough, ON K9H 2V9

Tel: 705-743-4470
Fax: 705-749-2769

Building Connections