Canada’s Building Trades Unions joins Canadians across the country in mourning the passing of former Prime Minister, The Right Honorable Brian Mulroney. As Prime Minister, Mulroney was one of the most consequential in Canadian history, and helped shape the country and the world we live in today. Mulroney never shied away from tough, and sometimes controversial, decisions. At the time, his decisions on free trade and the implementing of the GST disproportionately and negatively impacted working people. However, the test of time has shown that these decisions, while unpopular and were arguably poorly executed, were the right ones for Canada. Mulroney’s courageous moral leadership on the world stage, where he championed the anti-apartheid cause at the UN, in the Commonwealth, at the G7, in La

Today, Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) announced the first pilot implementation of Building It Green – Canada’s most comprehensive climate-focused construction education curriculum, designed by tradespeople for tradespeople.

Canada’s Building Trades Unions join others across the country in mourning the passing of Ed Broadbent – founder of the Broadbent Institute, former Member of Parliament, and former leader of the NDP. He represented Oshawa, a strong union town, and understood the value of effective representation for all workers. Ed advocated for equal rights and earned the nickname ‘Honest Ed’ for his decades of work championing ordinary Canadians. A social democrat who built a bridge between the intellectual wing of the NDP and working people, his legacy continues in many ways. Canada’s Building Trades Unions offer our condolences to his family and loved ones.

The CBTU Distinction Awards, presented at our annual legislative conference, recognize and honour industry leaders who have made significant contributions to their fields.

Last week Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship stated his intention to bring forward to cabinet a new program to help undocumented workers in Canada secure a pathway to residency and citizenship. Canada’s Building Trades Unions welcomes Minister Miller’s comments and are prepared to be a leading partner in any proposed program to bring undocumented workers out of the underground economy and into status. “Unfortunately, there are thousands of undocumented people currently working in Canada’s construction industry,” said Sean Strickland, Executive Director of Canada’s Building Trades Unions, “Any program that helps bring these workers into the regular economy, where they can be protected from exploitation, pay taxes, and collect benefits is a win.” Without status, undocumented construction workers frequently live in fear, are

Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) is pleased with today’s announcement from the federal government on the oil and gas regulatory framework that will put a cap on emissions starting in 2030. While CBTU recognizes the necessity of slowly transitioning away from Canada’s dependence on oil and gas to greener energy sources, we also know that Canada will continue to rely on energy from oil and gas for the foreseeable future to power our homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses. Many Building Trades members are employed in the oil and gas sector, and the industry is critical to our economy. “It is essential we get this cap-and-trade system done correctly in order to ensure investor confidence and secure employment for tens of thousands of Building Trades members,”

Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) applauds the tabling of legislation to implement the Fall Economic Statement, and the game-changing labour requirements for Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) for green technologies contained within it. CBTU has advocated for these measures for the last year. They are a critical step forward for Canada’s construction workers, employers, and the economy. The Investment Tax Credits will be available for investments in clean technology, clean electricity, clean hydrogen, and carbon capture. To be eligible to receive the maximum ITC, employers must adhere to a definition of prevailing wage that is based on multiemployer collective agreements and have at least 10% of work hours to be performed by apprentices. These measures will help Canada remain competitive with the US and the Inflation

Canada’s Building Trades has been leading on jobs to build Canada’s manufacturing industry for over a century, and this is not congruent with how projects like this typically work. Bringing approximately 900 South Korean workers to handle the installation of this equipment is not only an insult to Canadian taxpayers who funded this project with the understanding that jobs were going to Canadians, but it is a slap in the face to our workers and contractors, including those in Windsor, who are the most highly-skilled tradespeople in the world. We’re at the beginning of truly grasping the impact, but we can already share that Canada is losing out on millions of valuable hours for its workers. Canada’s Building Trades Unions is hopeful that we can

Today, the Federal Government released the 2023 Fall Economic Statement, which included several strong commitments for Building Trades members and skilled trades workers across Canada. Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) are very pleased to see a road map for the Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) included in today’s Fall Economic Statement. The Investment Tax Credits were introduced in last year’s Fall Economic Statement and the 2023 Federal Budget this past spring for investments in Clean Energy, Clean Technology, Hydrogen, and Carbon Capture. They will provide financial incentives to employers who adhere to the new definition of prevailing wage, based on regional collective bargaining agreements and apprenticeship requirements. CBTU is also pleased to see the expansion of the Investment Tax Credits to include biomass. “CBTU looks forward

Remembrance Day is a time for Canadians to remember and honour the veterans who fought for the freedoms Canada has today. It’s a day when veterans are at the forefront of the conversation. But it shouldn’t be the only day that they are. Today, the average age of a veteran in Canada is just 32 years old. Many veterans leave service looking to use their skills and experience in civilian jobs that will allow them to support themselves and their families. Helmets to Hardhats Canada is a non-profit organization that aims to support veterans by connecting them with a rewarding second career in the skilled construction trades. They do so by working with Canada’s Building Trades Unions and employers to ensure that veterans in their