B.C. is investing $241 million for trades training over the next three years, Premier David Eby announced on Friday, Nov. 14.
Eby linked this to the need to provide skilled workers to build major projects such as those added to the federal “nation-building” list by Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday.
“It’s one thing to have the money to invest. It’s another thing to have the vision about what’s going to happen. It’s another thing to get all your permits in place,” Eby said. “But someone’s actually got to show up and make it real.”
Carney has inked four B.C. projects to that list: one mine, two LNG projects and one electrical transmission line.
“But with that, responsibility comes an obligation,” Eby said. “For every major project that is proposed for our province, there is not a proponent who doesn’t say, ‘Are you going to be able to make sure that you have the skilled workers available to deliver this project?”
The new funds will be spread over the three years, with $54 million coming in year one, $80 million in year two and $107 million in year three.
More to come.