B.C. NDP leader David Eby chose a Chilliwack trades centre on Thursday (Sept. 26) to announce his plan to double the number of training seats for "family-supporting jobs" on day six of the provincial election campaign.
Eby was flanked by local MLA candidates at the Teamsters 213 and LiUNA 1611 Training Centre in Chilliwack, run by two unions offering much-in-demand training for jobs like forklift operator, traffic control, or road paver.
“British Columbians deserve affordable homes, good schools, and modern hospitals–and many are looking for opportunities that will help them get better paying jobs,” said Eby.
“By training more people for great careers in the skilled trades, we’ll help them get ahead and give them the skills they need to build the things our growing province needs. The same projects John Rustad is planning to cancel.”
The trades training plan will see $150 million invested over three years in SkilledTradesBC to double the trade-apprentice seats from the current 26,000 to more than 50,000.
Training will be available for anyone wanting to work toward a good-paying career in the skilled trades. Apprenticeships to be covered include training to become a bricklayer, industrial electrician, machinist, plumber, and many other trades.
“If we are going to build the critical infrastructure B.C. requires like hospitals, schools, roads, bridges and transit, we need more highly skilled and certified tradespeople,” said Brynn Bourke, executive director of the BC Building Trades Council.
“This new funding will allow trades training providers like our joint boards to develop the next generation of trades workers. Trades training funding is vital to the future of this province.”
When the trades school was being established, it came to light that the unions have more than 1,000 members in the greater Chilliwack area, according to the 2023 letter of support for the school proposal for Chilliwack, written Aug. 25, by CEPCO president Brian Coombes.
Eby's message in the first week of the campaign echoed his entreaty at the UBCM conference for voters to help him stay the course, and let the NDP policies that are starting to work, continue to make a difference.
On day two on the campaign trail in Langley, Eby pointed to the six-per-cent drop in Vancouver area rents as evidence of the success of NDP measures, and warned Conservative leader John Rustad would eliminate them all.
