In 2009, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 2486 opened a training facility in Azilda, where carpenters and drywallers could learn the trades.
The facility recently received a $278,242 boost from the federal government to purchase equipment.
The funds, which came from the Union Training and Innovation Program, were used to purchase a large telescopic forklift as well as a dust collection system that hasn't yet been installed.
The forklift is a “nice piece of equipment” that's used on many large job sites these days, said Tom Cardinal, Northern Ontario area manager for the Carpenters District Council of Ontario.
The dust collection system will be used to purify the air inside the training facility when the apprentices are busy with projects.
“When we have apprenticeship training here and you have 15 carpenters cutting wood, and you have 15 drywall guys putting up drywall, there's a lot of dust in the building.”
Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré made the funding announcement Monday on behalf of the federal Liberal government.
He said there's a “crisis” in the trades here in Northern Ontario, as there aren't enough qualified people, and he's heard from companies who have had to turn down jobs for this reason.
That's why it's important to train the next generation of tradespeople, he said, adding that these are often well-paid positions.
“I'm really happy to be here making the announcement,” Serré said. “I know the work that you've done in the community has been really, really well respected.”
Cardinal said he thinks it's “great” the federal government is getting involved in training tradespeople. “It's nice to see that we're not alone to attract people to the trades,” he said.
