Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) welcomes continued momentum toward advancing nationally significant energy and infrastructure projects that will strengthen Canada’s economy, expand access to global markets, and create thousands of family‑supporting union careers for skilled trades workers.
CBTU emphasizes that Canada already has the workforce with the proven experience to deliver major infrastructure safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards. “Our members have a proven record of excellence building the projects that power Canada’s economy, from pipelines and power generation to refineries, LNG facilities, and transportation infrastructure,” said CBTU Executive Director Sean Strickland. “We don’t need to build a workforce; we’ve already built one. Canada’s Building Trades have the skilled workers, the world‑class apprenticeship system, and the experience to deliver the next generation of nation‑building infrastructure safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards. If Canada is ready to build, our members are ready to get to work.”
CBTU welcomes the announcement to support B.C.’s LNG export capacity, including priority projects such as LNG Canada Phase 2, Ksi Lisims LNG, Cedar LNG, and Woodfibre LNG, and the federal commitments to regulatory coordination, financing tools, and First Nations equity supports to help move projects to final investment decision and construction. These projects represent major opportunities to secure private investment, boost exports, and create long‑term, good‑paying union jobs across B.C. and Canada.
We have long advocated that any pipeline proposals backed by taxpayer dollars must maximize benefits to Canadian workers by guaranteeing prevailing wages and mandatory minimum apprenticeship requirements, ensuring public investments deliver lasting economic returns for workers, communities, and training systems.
“Canadians don’t just need announcements, they need projects that get built,” said Sean Strickland. “Turning proposals into shovels in the ground means putting skilled Canadians to work, supporting local businesses, strengthening supply chains, and delivering the infrastructure our economy depends on. We urge governments and proponents to prioritize projects that deliver decent wages, safe workplaces, apprenticeship opportunities, and strong union standards.”
CBTU remains committed to working alongside governments, Indigenous partners, industry, and project proponents to build the infrastructure Canada needs while creating good‑paying union careers, supporting First Nations participation, and driving long‑term economic prosperity.