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

Immigration minister 'pissed off' that Canadians' families blocked from leaving Gaza

Canada's immigration minister is "pissed off" that a list of people related to Canadians are being blocked from leaving the embattled Gaza Strip, he said Wednesday. Ottawa started accepting applications last month to reunite as many as 1,000 people in the Palestinian territory with extended family members in Canada.

Immigration minister 'pissed off' that Canadians' families blocked from leaving Gaza

Ridge Meadows RCMP asking hit and run driver to turn themselves in

The Ridge Meadows R-C-M-P is asking the driver of a 2000s white Toyota hatchback to turn themselves in after being involved in a hit and run last month. Police say the vehicle hit a pedestrian on January 26th in Maple Ridge.

Ridge Meadows RCMP asking hit and run driver to turn themselves in

Minister backs shift away from privately owned rooming hotels after B.C. fire inquest

British Columbia's housing minster says the province needs to shift away from accommodating vulnerable people in privately owned rooming hotels — but it won't be fast or cheap. Ravi Kahlon's remarks come after the jury in a coroner's inquest into the deadly 2022 Winters Hotel fire in Vancouver made more than two dozen safety recommendations on Monday.

Minister backs shift away from privately owned rooming hotels after B.C. fire inquest

Street cleaning grants for Vancouver

The City of Vancouver has approved 2.64-million-dollars in grants in support of street-cleaning programs this year. The grants support programs that supplement street-cleaning work completed by City crews and have been active for 24 years.

Street cleaning grants for Vancouver

B.C. Crown counsel group raises safety concerns, Eby says no move for courthouse

Premier David Eby says the government is not currently considering the relocation of a provincial courthouse in downtown Vancouver, where the president of the British Columbia Crown Counsel Association says safety concerns are on the rise. A statement from Adam Dalrymple says a recent attack on a prosecutor near the courthouse at 222 Main St. underscores the need for a "serious discussion" about whether it should be moved away from the Downtown Eastside.

B.C. Crown counsel group raises safety concerns, Eby says no move for courthouse

Police apprehend foreign nationals who crossed into Canada on foot from United States

A Calgary man has been arrested for human smuggling after police allege he picked up foreign nationals who crossed on foot into Manitoba from the United States last month. Mounties in Manitoba say they received information from the United States Border Patrol that a group was walking northbound along a rail line toward the Canadian border near the town of Emerson.