‘Unfilled jobs waiting’: Premier Ford announces over $2 million to train skilled tradespeople in Brockville and Kemptville

Premier Doug Ford was in Brockville today (Friday, Oct. 11) to announce over $2.1 million in funding through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) to help train more than 700 local workers and young people for careers in the trades.

Ford gathered at 401 Electric alongside Brockville mayor Matt Wren, North Grenville mayor Nancy Peckford, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini and local MPP Steve Clark.

Funding will be split between three projects, located at 401 Electric, Kemptville Campus and Devries Power and Utilities Solutions.

401 Electric will receive $1,064,500 to train and up-skill 77 electrical workers, including women and youth, and to advance from their apprenticeship to Journeyperson certification. Training stipends are intended to incentivize workers to build upon their skill sets and train for innovative techniques and equipment.

Kemptville Campus will receive $840,912 to train 45 apprentices and workers in the motive power sector, including in the Commercial Vehicle and Equipment Apprenticeship (CVEA) program. This investment will also enable the campus to deliver one-day training programs for 545 students in Grades 7-12 to encourage them to start a career in the motive power and other skilled trades.

Devries Power and Utilities Solutions will receive $263,142 through SDF Capital Stream to build an expanded training facility in Kemptville that will train 40 new diesel heavy mechanics, as well as electrical and powerline workers. The upgraded facilities will increase capacity for in-house, on-the-job training for new hires and other workers, reducing the need for workers to travel outside of the region to access training opportunities.

“Today’s announcement speaks directly to what I’m hearing since the first day I got elected in 2010,” MPP Steve Clark stated at the press conference.

“I’ve been in [401 Electric] many, many times talking about the need to have more apprentices, more training dollars, more opportunities for young people to be able to move them forward, give them a high paying job and a future.”

Barry Moss, owner of 401 Electric, echoed that the necessity of building apprentices to journeypeople “is critical in a small town like Brockville.”

Moss explained that while it’s relatively easy to find electricians in bigger cities, “in Brockville we don’t have that ability, so it’s absolutely critical for us to get apprentices in, get them trained to journeymen, and get them through our company in other positions like project managers, foremen, into management.”

And, a large share of Ontario’s experienced tradespeople are retiring in the coming years, Minister Piccini noted.

“One in three tradespeople are nearing retirement, and we must transfer the skills and expertise from one generation to the next and ensure a streamlined path. This is especially important in rural Ontario. Clear pathways to the trades lies at the heart of Ontario’s Skills Development Fund.”

Brockville’s mayor, Matt Wren, expressed gratitude for the funding.

 “It will help build our skilled workforce in Brockville and the surrounding area where there are unfilled jobs waiting,” Wren said in a statement. “This funding will lead to opportunities for young people to remain in our area, as well as those who want to attain new skills to build their careers.”