Prime Minister Mark Carney returned to Local 793 head office in Oakville on Thursday having fulfilled a pledge made just over a year earlier to strengthen Canada’s workforce and bolster the skilled trades.
Having replaced Justin Trudeau as leader of the Liberals and as Prime Minister in March 2025, it was Carney’s promised support of working people that convinced Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher to endorse the former Governor of the Bank of Canada in his bid to secure his first mandate at the polls.
Among the pledges made that day was to introduce a new apprenticeship grant of $8,000.
Having gone on to secure a come-from-behind election victory just weeks later, Carney returned on Thursday to deliver more good news for workers in the form of his Team Canada Strong measure, a $6 billion effort aimed at recruiting, training and hiring up to 100,000 Red Seal tradespeople in the next five years.
That was music to the ears of Business Manager Gallagher, who addressed the Prime Minister during his remarks made in front of a large audience of Local 793 officers, members, staff, apprentices and special guests gathered in the OETIO shop for the announcement.
He said, “The last time the Prime Minister was here was 390 days ago and at that time we pledged our support to him and he hasn’t let us down one bit. He hit the ground running – in fact he’s got more hits than The Beatles had in their first 390 days!
“He’s taken the world by storm and he’s making Canada respected all over the world in terms of investment coming back into this country, he’s working hard and we appreciate it. So, keep up the good work – I know it’s not an easy job, especially with our friends to the south, but hopefully we can get things back on track. There’s nobody better than you and your team to do that.”
Carney explained that he had gone even further than he suggested he would on his last visit to Oakville, explaining that his Team Canada Strong policy includes $3.4 billion over five years, starting in 2026-27, and $468 million ongoing to address the challenges that can stop apprentices from completing their training and moving into permanent jobs.
That means apprentices will receive a weekly income top up of $400 per week through the Apprenticeship Training Grant while they are attending mandatory in-class training for a total payment of up to $16,000 – double the original pledge.
There will also be a $5,000 one-time bonus paid to apprentices who obtain certification in a Red Seal trade.
Referencing those year-old pledges, Carney said, “What we have announced this week is of a different order of magnitude because we spent more time looking at the scale of the issue, more time with the Unions, more time with the employers, more time with young apprentices.
“As this works, we may have to come back in a few years and do more, we may have to scale even further. That’s the challenge we want because that will show that we are building this country strong.”
The Prime Minister has also introduced further measures of particular interest to Operating Engineers, including $225 million over five years to enable Union-run training centres to upgrade facilities, expand capacity and invest in modern equipment. That’s money that could be put to work in helping the Union build our next training centres on Local 793-owned land in Hamilton, Sudbury and Sarnia.
There is also an increase in the annual limit on expenses that can be deducted under the Labour Mobility Deduction for Tradespeople from $4,000 to $10,000.
As Business Manager Gallagher noted, Prime Minister Carney could hardly have made a better start.
Also in attendance were IUOE officials present included IUOE Regional Director Patrick Campbell, IUOE Local 955 Business Manager Chris Flett and IUOE Local 772 Business Manager Greg Hoath, as well as representatives of some of our fellow building trades unions.
Special guests included Anita Anand, MP for Oakville East and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sima Acan, MP for Oakville West, and Karina Gould, MP for Burlington.
Team Canada Strong Key Measures:
- $2 billion over five years, starting in 2026-27, and $262 million ongoing to help recruit more young people into the trades
- $331 million over five years, and $18 million ongoing to modernize apprenticeship training
- $225 million over five years to enable Union-run training centres to upgrade facilities, expand capacity, and invest in modern equipment
- Apprenticeship Training Grant will provide apprentices with a $400 per week top-up while in-class for a total payment of up to $16,000 per apprentice, on top of EI
- One-time $5,000 bonus to apprentices obtaining certification in a Red Seal trade
- Increase annual limit on expenses that can be deducted under the Labour Mobility Deduction for Tradespeople from $4,000 to $10,000
- Modify the minimum distance threshold for relocations from 150 km to 120 km