Building Today’s Workforce for Tomorrow

On Wednesday, April 17, 2019 we held our 6th Annual Conference – Building Today’s Workforce for Tomorrow. This year’s conference featured a number of presenters speaking on topics such as apprenticeship, diversity and inclusion in the trades, promoting, recruiting and building tomorrow’s workforce, labour supply and demand, shifts in the national landscape and more. Rodger […]

What are Community Benefits Programs?

Community benefits are a tool to help local communities organize and leverage public infrastructure investments to create employment and apprenticeship opportunities. It is a “best value” procurement approach to optimize the tax dollars investment. Community benefits increase the social impact of government and public institutional expenditures. Aligning spending with broader social and policy objectives creates […]

Brad Smith Elected APEC Board Chair

Brad Smith, Executive Director of the Mainland Nova Scotia Building Trades has been elected Board Chair of the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC). APEC’s Board of Directors elected Brad as Board Chair, effective February 21, 2019.  Brad has been on APEC’s Board of Directors since 2013, and takes over from past Chair, Raymond Adlington, Partner […]

Leaders of Canada’s Building Trades Unions Meet with Prime Minister Trudeau

Leaders of Canada’s Building Trades Unions Met with Prime Minister to Talk Infrastructure and Apprenticeships October 15, 2018, Ottawa, ON – This morning, leaders of Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) met with the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister Patty Hajdu and Parliamentary Secretary Rodger Cuzner to discuss issues that matter most to the half a million […]

What Does #MeToo Mean for the Building Trades?

A simple two word hashtag that has gone viral has highlighted the magnitude of the problem of sexual assault and sexual harassment in the workplace and beyond. The “Me Too” movement actually started with a Black activist in Harlem more than 10 years ago. Community organizer Tarana Burke founded the “Me Too” movement in 2006, […]

Women of the Building Trades Launches in Nova Scotia

Halifax, NS – April 9, 2018 – The Mainland Nova Scotia Building Trades Council is pleased to announce the formation of Build Together Nova Scotia, the first Chapter of a program on the East Coast that promotes, supports and mentors women in the skilled construction trades. The official launch of the Committee is happening tomorrow […]

Special Projects Agreement provides significant opportunity for Building Trades Contractors and Tradespeople

HALIFAX, NS – May 10, 2017 – The Mainland Nova Scotia Building Trades and the Nova Scotia Construction Labour Relations Association (NSCLRA) are pleased to announce they have reached a labour agreement for the proposed $8.3-billion Goldboro LNG project. A project of this size and scope provides significant opportunity for youth and apprentices; it secures […]

2016 Federal Budget Review and Analysis

Our national organization, Canada’s Building Trades Unions has created a review and analysis of the 2016 Federal Budget. We are pleased with the support demonstrated for the skilled trades in this Government’s first tabled budget. Particularly notable for Building Trades Unions across the country is the proposed $85.4 million over five years that is designated […]

Apprentices Across the Country Can Now Train More Easily

Labour and Advanced Education January 18, 2016 2:12 PM Apprentices can now move between provinces and territories more easily to complete their training. As of Jan. 1, apprentices’ technical training, work experience and examination results will be recognized across the country. Students graduating from approved pre-apprenticeship training programs will also get full credit for their […]