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“We are very encouraged by today’s provincial Budget commitments for continued funding of construction worker training and the building of infrastructure,” said Marc Arsenault, Business Manager of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, adding that “the planned financing of construction projects requires accompanying dollars towards training the skilled workforce of tomorrow, and this Budget meets those needs.”
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy announced $190.2 billion earmarked towards upgrading Ontario’s infrastructure over the next 10 years, while $26.2 will be invested in the coming year. A further $100 million will be allocated towards Skills Development Fund (SDF) projects to enhance the skills of Ontario’s construction workforce. Ontario is also creating a new infrastructure bank, the Building Ontario Fund with $3 billion in initial financing.
“The plentiful employment opportunities that we are seeing in Ontario’s construction trades are in large measure the result of firm government commitments to build more housing, transit, and energy infrastructure to support growth, especially amid challenges with the cost of living,” noted Arsenault.
“Creating jobs in the construction sector is the best way to secure access to stable careers, and the Building Trades offer the most advanced training and apprenticeship opportunities that create the next generation of skilled talent,” he concluded.
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The Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario represents 150,000 construction workers throughout the province. For more information, please contact Kate Walsh, Executive Director of Communications, at 613-298-0652 or kate.walsh@ontariobuildingtrades.com.