The local carpenter's union is getting close to $3.5 million from the province to expand its Cambridge training facility by about 60 per cent in an effort to boost investment in skilled trades to tackle the housing crunch.
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 785 is receiving $3,492,683 to expand their headquarters on Fountain Street North.
The expansion will create more training floorspace, add four larger classrooms, a full functioning shop, washrooms, an exercise room and a meeting hall.
The provincial government announced the investment Friday as part of nearly $27 million going toward training more skilled carpentry workers across the province through two funding streams.
The funding will expand training programs and support the construction of a new carpenter training facility in Sudbury and expand four existing facilities in London, Windsor, Cambridge and Ottawa to train an additional 2,600 carpenters and construction workers across the province.
“In the face of tariff threats to Ontario workers and jobs, it’s more important than ever that we keep investing in our workers, so they have the skills and training they need to succeed,” said Premier Doug Ford in a press release.
“Today’s investment will help more than 2,600 workers find rewarding careers in the skilled trades, so they can secure better jobs and bigger paycheques in communities across Ontario.”
The province says it's also investing up to $14 million through the SDF Training Stream to support the expansion of UBCJA’s Carpenters' Regional Council Workforce Development Program to include other industries, such as manufacturing and health care workers.
The innovative training program will train up to 1,450 carpenters by bringing together UBCJA locals and training centres, employers and key community partners to develop a resilient workforce and empower workers with barriers to education and meaningful employment, the release states.
Over the next decade, Ontario is expected to need more than 500,000 workers to fill job openings in skilled trades-related occupations. The projects announced today are examples of how Ontario is partnering with labour organizations, employers and local organizations through the SDF to increase their capacity to train and upskill workers for in-demand careers in the trades across key industries.
“By investing in carpenter training, we are helping to train the next generation of workers,” said David Piccini, minister of labour, immigration training and skills development. “Workers can benefit from the wisdom of experienced tradespeople, gain the necessary skills for lifelong careers in the construction trades and unlock their potential. Because a career in the skilled trades is for everyone.”