Ottawa – Yesterday, CBTU Executive Director Sean Strickland and the Canadian Executive Board met with the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and John Zerucelli, Secretary of State for Labour to discuss the future of the unionized skilled trades as Canada prepares to meet our ambitious infrastructure and energy independence goals.
“Unionized skilled tradespeople, our members, are essential to building Canada’s future. From energy independence to critical infrastructure – building trades members will be at the forefront of this transformational shift,” said CBTU Executive Director Sean Strickland. “As we enter a period of major investment and significant change, we must ensure that these opportunities translate into good, family-supporting careers for our members. This means developing sophisticated labour forecasts to guide investment in training, expanding access to apprenticeship for underrepresented groups, and protecting the high standards that define unionized construction.”
“Our members are builders — plain and simple. From coast to coast, unionized skilled tradespeople are delivering the critical infrastructure Canada needs to grow its economy and secure its future. The work ahead is ambitious, and CBTU is ready to meet the challenge. We have the expertise, the workforce, and the commitment to get the job done right — safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards,” said Robert Kucheran, Chairman of CBTU’s Canadian Executive Board.
Canada’s Building Trades Unions also extends its sincere gratitude to Government House Leader, Steven MacKinnon, as well as the Honourable Mélanie Joly, and the Honourable Chrystia Freeland for participating in a productive roundtable discussion with the Canadian Executive Board. Their engagement and insights contributed to a meaningful dialogue on how to strengthen Canada’s economy and ensure unionized skilled tradespeople are central to the nation’s progress.
