Doug Ford says he’ll work ‘hand in hand with labour unions,’ commits $224M for trades training
Premier Doug Ford is putting $224 million more into the Progressive Conservatives' Big Blue Collar Machine" prolabour push.
Ford announced Tuesday that the government would be investing in new and upgraded training centres that will be run by private-sector unions and other groups, building upon his successful labour courtship in the June election.
We're going to need thousands of new skilled construction workers to help build the infrastructure our growing population needs," the premier told reporters at a LiUNA facility in Vaughan.
It's an all hands on deck and so today we're pleased to announce a new capital stream of our Skills Development Fund ... $224 million more for employment service and training providers including labour groups, Indigenous centres, business and industry organizations," he said.
The funding will be a key part of Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy's budget Thursday.
It's a plan that trains workers for the jobs of tomorrow. A plan that gives more workers more opportunities by helping to provide new ways to train and learn," said Bethlenfalvy.
Labour Minister Monte McNaughton said the new funding should help Ontario tackle the largest labour shortage in a generation."
When you have a career in the skilled trades, you have a career for life," said McNaughton.
But Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario, said it was incredibly disappointing" that the province's 24 publicly funded colleges were left out of the announcement and can't access the funds.
Franklin noted the colleges already have many training facilities that prepare people for successful careers in technology and the trades."
Many of those facilities are in urgent need of capital repairs. That should be the priority as the province strives to strengthen its workforce," she said in a statement.
It is inexplicable that colleges are excluded from the funding. Colleges play a dominant role in skills training, including the delivery of over 80 per cent of the in-class portion of apprenticeship training."
The cash injection to labour organizations is the latest example of the Ford Conservatives' concerted push to attract unionized blue-collar voters.
In the June 2022 election, the Tories won traditional New Democratic ridings in Toronto, Hamilton, Windsor, and Timmins by appealing to organized labour.
While public-sector unions - representing teachers and government workers - still overwhelming back the NDP or the Liberals, eight private-sector unions endorsed Ford in that campaign.
The premier said Tuesday he planned to continue working hand in hand with labour unions" to boost the economy.
Ford also had kind words for former Liberal leader Steven Del Duca, who is now the mayor of Vaughan and attended the prebudget announcement at LiUNA.
The mayor and I got together shortly after the provincial election - and I'm not blowing smoke here - mayor, I told you you're one of the best guys to deal with out of all the mayors I've ever worked with," the premier said of his one-time rival.
He just believes in getting in done, he believes in supporting the people of Vaughan."
At Queen's Park, NDP Leader Marit Stiles said we need lots of ways to encourage skilled workers in our province, absolutely."
But Stiles expressed concern that workers' wages are still not keeping up with inflation."
So unless we can figure out ways to actually ensure that people make a decent wage in the skilled trades, in other trades and occupations in our province, we are going to continue to have a hard time attracting people into those fields."
With files from Kristin Rushowy
Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie
Rob Ferguson is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @robferguson1