National

Poilievre outlines plan to boost apprenticeships, training for trades workers

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Mar, 2025 02:14 PM

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced a plan Friday to boost training and employment for workers in the skilled trades.

Speaking at a news conference in Ottawa Friday morning, Poilievre said his plan for "more boots, less suits" will expand training halls and provide direct grants and faster access to employment insurance for apprentices in licensed trades.

Thank you @CDNTrades !

Together, let's build Canada FIRST and bring home powerful paycheques for our people.

🇨🇦 https://t.co/qzj3ibQqaf
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) March 21, 2025

Poilievre said the goal is to deliver higher paycheques to workers and make Canada less reliant on the U.S. economy.

The plan would see the federal government offer apprenticeship grants of up to $4,000, fund training halls for skills development for up to 350,000 workers over five years, and work with provinces to harmonize health and safety regulations to allow tradespeople to work anywhere in Canada.

"The people who build the homes are not able to buy them," Poilievre said in front of an audience of local construction union members.

"The choice is the next election is very clear."

Ana and I came to LiUNA this morning to stand with 🇨🇦's extraordinary trades workers who literally build our country.

Conservatives will restore apprenticeship grants of up to $4,000 & fund training halls for 350,000 workers.

Cruz came for the donut. pic.twitter.com/wGnEPz1E7p
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) March 21, 2025

Prime Minister Mark Carney is widely expected to call an election on Sunday, sending Canadians to the polls as early as April 28.

Poilievre spent much of his news conference talking about how he is different from Carney and claiming the prime minister wouldn't be able to stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump as well as he could.

"That's why common sense Conservatives will always stand with our employers and our unions right across the country to unleash the great Canadian promise," he said.

"Canada first."

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Ottawa provides $20M for B.C.'s forest sector amid softwood duties, trade war

The federal government is providing about $20 million in funding to support British Columbia's forestry sector, part of Ottawa's effort to bolster the economy amid the Canada-U. S. trade war. Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says it's more important than ever to support the sector, which is subject to American duties on softwood lumber and now faces the additional threat of steep tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Ottawa provides $20M for B.C.'s forest sector amid softwood duties, trade war

Commercial truck hits B.C. highway overpass, losing lumber load and snarling traffic

British Columbia's Highway Patrol says another commercial truck has hit an overpass in Metro Vancouver, causing no visible damage, but snarling traffic on Wednesday. Police say a load of lumber the tractor trailer was hauling along Highway 99 hit the Blundell Road overpass.

Commercial truck hits B.C. highway overpass, losing lumber load and snarling traffic

Consumers could find 'meaningful savings' as carbon price ends: Desjardins

Canadians can expect to feel the absence of the consumer carbon price at the pumps immediately but it may take longer to notice a difference in the price of other goods, a new report released Wednesday suggests. The analysis by Desjardins Economics comes less than a week after Prime Minister Mark Carney and his new Liberal cabinet ordered that the consumer levy be set to zero on April 1.

Consumers could find 'meaningful savings' as carbon price ends: Desjardins

End of consumer carbon tax leaves $1.5-billion hole in B.C. budget

The budget released earlier this month shows the province was forecasting revenue of just over $2.5 billion from the tax in the 2024-25 fiscal year, while the estimated cost of the climate action tax credit was $995 million.

End of consumer carbon tax leaves $1.5-billion hole in B.C. budget

Ottawa caps non-sufficient funds fees at $10 starting March 2026

Ottawa has put in place new rules limiting the fees banks can levy on customers who don't have enough in their accounts to cover a cheque or other pre-authorized charges. The updates, included in an order-in-council last week, cap non-sufficient funds fees at $10 for personal deposit accounts, prohibit charging more than one NSF fee in a period of two business days, and prohibit charging an NSF fee when an account shortfall is under $10.

Ottawa caps non-sufficient funds fees at $10 starting March 2026

Federal government promises $2.55B in low-cost loans to build Toronto rental homes

The federal government is promising billions in low-cost financing to help build thousands of rental homes in Toronto, including more than a thousand affordable units. Ottawa says it will provide $2.55 billion in financing through its Apartment Construction Loan Program, to be administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.