Spending Surge: Alberta to invest $30M into trades and technology over next three years, 2023 budget says
Edmonton, Alberta – Alberta is planning to invest more than $30 million to support apprenticeships and learning opportunities in the skilled trades for the next three years, according to plans laid out in the province’s recently released 2023 budget. In an announcement at Edmonton’s Harry Ainlay High School, Minister of Skilled Trades and Professions Kaycee […]
Earned Return: MOST tax scheme returns $50,000 of taxed income to eligible Nova Scotian apprentices and journeypersons
Halifax, Nova Scotia — Are you a Nova Scotian under 30 who has paid your taxes this year and are working in the trades as an apprentice or a certified journeyperson? If so, you’re in luck as the province is returning up to $50,000 of income tax to people in this specific group. According to […]
Skills Summit: Skilled Trades Ontario to host first industry summit on apprenticeship training in May
Toronto, Ontario — The organization responsible for skilled trades training in Ontario is gearing up for its first ever industry summit on apprenticeship training, currently on the calendar for the first week of May. The province’s recently minted trades certification regulator, Skilled Trades Ontario (STO) plans on “Unleashing Ontario’s potential” at this upcoming gathering of […]
Acing the Course: Surrey technical institute receives $560,000 to support automotive technician, welder training
Surrey, British Columbia — The government of British Columbia announced Tuesday that it has opened up a new funding stream to support automotive technicians, and other tradespeople, in completing their education at the Ace Trades and Technical Institute (ATTI) in Surrey, B.C. The lower mainland trade school is set to receive more than $560,000 to […]
Help Wanted: Experts needed for Skilled Trades Ontario apprenticeship and exam standards development
Toronto, Ontario — Skilled Trades Ontario is inviting subject matter experts to participate in their standards development and examinations, along with the support of the Standards Industry Advisory Committees to review exam content, skills competencies and learning outcomes. Selected participants will go on to contribute their expertise through in-person or online workshops and online surveys. […]
Skills Space: Ontario gov. announces funding to build, renovate skilled trades training centres
Toronto, Ontario — It can be tough to teach a trades course from a parking lot, so the Ontario government announced Tuesday that it will be investing about $300,000 to build and upgrade training facilities in the province, in the aim of giving future tradespeople better facilities to hone their skills. By late spring, organizations […]
EV/AV Report: Borrowed cars, autonomous startups and charging critiques
Toronto, Ontario — A Vancouver man accidentally drives off in the wrong Tesla using nothing more than his app, Gatik’s expansion hints at a growing autonomous trucking fleet in Canada and J.D. Power warns of rising electricity prices hurting EV owners. This is the latest in electric and autonomous vehicles. Inadvertent Felony A Vancouver man […]
Room to Grow: Wages for new body techs in 2020 remained stable despite national declines, StatsCan says
Toronto, Ontario — The positions once occupied by Canada’s retiring skilled trades workforce are proving difficult to fill, and according to some newly released data from the federal government, no two regions compensate their tradespeople quite the same. Median wages for newly certified journeypersons are down 5.2 percent nationwide from 2019 to 2020, with motor […]
Trades Fast-Track: Ontario to allow Grade 11 students to enrol in full-time apprenticeship programs
Toronto, Ontario — A Wednesday announcement from the Ontario government may plant a seed for the spike in skilled trades interest our industry has been looking for, as Grade 11 students in the province will now be eligible to enrol in full-time skilled apprenticeship programs. With this new decision, students looking to pursue a trades […]
Fair Trade: Free Centennial College, Tropicana introductory auto body course to kick off in April
Scarborough, Ontario — If you live in the Toronto area and have always wanted to try your hand at the trade, a new collaborative program between Tropicana Community Services and Centennial College seeks to give prospective auto body technicians a chance to see if collision repair is the right fit, completely free of charge. Set […]