June 2, 2026
CANADA IS STANDING at a pivotal moment, and to meet that opportunity, Canada’s Building Trades Unions are working to advance national policies that deliver good-paying unionized jobs, strong training pathways, and accountable public investment.
We are pushing for clear standards for major projects: enforceable prevailing wages, mandatory minimum apprenticeships, and Community Employment Benefit Agreements for projects funded with taxpayer dollars. We are also working towards securing early Building Trades engagement in project planning to align labour supply with demand, and towards National Safety Harmonization to standardize training across provinces, cut duplication, and get workers on site faster and safer.
To build the next generation of tradespeople, we are advocating for expanding the labour mobility tax deduction to $10,000 and restoring the Apprenticeship Incentive and Completion Grants. These are practical steps that reduce barriers to apprentices and journeypersons travelling for work, completing training, and sustaining their careers in the unionized skilled trades.
This year, CBTU is also committing to implementing our Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan nationally to expand apprenticeship and employment pathways for Indigenous communities, ensuring projects built in Canada deliver shared economic benefits.
Canada’s major-project ambitions demand a national, coordinated approach. Now is the time for policymakers, industry, and communities to act together to secure lasting careers, safer worksites, and stronger communities across the country.
By Sean Strickland, Executive Director, Canada’s Building Trades Unions