CANADIAN BUILDING TRADES PLEASED WITH FEDERAL BUDGET

The Canadian office of the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD) is pleased the Helmets to Hardhats program was highlighted in the federal budget and that funds were earmarked for trainees through the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant completion bonus.
Robert Blakely, director of Canadian affairs for the BCTD, said the federal government has reaffirmed its support and directed money towards Canadians currently enrolled in Red Seal apprenticeships.
"This is an important step to ensure our training system is strong and continues to deliver top-quality talent to jobsites nationwide," he said in a statement. "We would like to see these apprenticeship incentives extended to third and fourth year individuals as well."
Joe Maloney, International vice president and chairman of the executive board of the Canadian building trades, said construction unions are encouraged by the federal budget plan to work with the building trades in implementing the Helmets to Hardhats program.
The program attempts to integrate Canadian Forces veterans into the skilled trades and also place veterans who are interested in supervisory and engineering roles with industrial partners.
"This program is a game changer for young veterans," Maloney said. "We aim to place as many of the 5,200 transitioning professionals as possible each year.
"This is a cross promotional venture - good for the military and good for our trades. We look forward to continuing our working relationship with the government of Canada on this venture."
The BCTD is also pleased to seen an extension of the capital cost allowance for acquisition of major equipment, as it will benefit industrial partners of the trades.
There are a couple of areas of concern, though, with the budget.
In particular, the department is concerned about the unfavourable tax treatment of oil sands capital assets.
The BCTD said no particular budget, especially a deficit budget, can address each and every problem faced by Canadians, but the government is attempting to take a balanced approach.
The trades are also concerned that there were no incentives in the budget to encourage a more mobile and flexible construction workforce.
Robert Kucherin, general vice president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, said that the Canadian building trades, organizations and contractors have proposed changes to the Income Tax Act that would encourage members to travel to areas experiencing skills shortages and therefore ease the financial burden on the EI program.
"Construction owners across Canada continue to struggle with labour force planning - this required change to the Income Tax Act will assist all stakeholders in the construction economy," he said. "We will continue to work with the minister of human resources and skills development and the minister of finance to finalize this non-partisan industry request."
The BCTD represents 400,000 skilled trades workers in Canada.