Carney launches Team Canada Strong to recruit up to 100,000 skilled trades workers
Team Canada Strong aims to fast-track training, hiring, and certification across Canada
GATINEAU — Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled Team Canada Strong, a $6 billion national initiative designed to recruit, train, and hire up to 100,000 skilled trades workers over the next five years.
The program is part of the federal government’s broader strategy to accelerate infrastructure development, expand housing supply, and strengthen Canada’s economic resilience in a rapidly changing global environment.
Addressing Canada’s skilled trades gap
The announcement comes as Canada faces a growing demand for trades workers, with projections showing the country will need more than 1.4 million new workers by 2033 to support housing, transit, and energy projects.
Carney said the initiative is aimed at removing barriers that discourage young Canadians from entering the trades, including training costs, long certification timelines, and limited job opportunities.
A $6 billion nationwide strategy
Team Canada Strong is structured around three key pillars:
1. Recruit
- $2 billion investment to support paid, job-ready placements
- Launch of the Build Canada Apprenticeship Service
- Up to $10,000 toward first-year apprentice salaries
- Matching apprentices with employers and job opportunities
2. Train
- $331 million over five years to modernize apprenticeship systems
- Digital upgrades to the Red Seal Program, including online exams and credentials
- Expansion of union training centres through the Union Training and Innovation Program
3. Hire
- $3.4 billion over five years to support apprenticeship completion and job transitions
- $5,000 completion bonus for Red Seal certification
- $400 weekly training support during in-class instruction
Combined, these supports could provide up to $16,000 per apprentice, in addition to Employment Insurance benefits.
Union workers, like the members here at the @cdntrades Conference, built this country — and it’s time to build big, again.
That’s why we’re launching Team Canada Strong — a new program to recruit, train and hire up to 100,000 more skilled trades workers across Canada. pic.twitter.com/6K8fslt3Oe
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) April 29, 2026
Faster certification and workforce readiness
The government says the program aims to cut certification timelines by up to 50%, creating faster pathways from training to employment.
Additional measures include:
- A single national apprenticeship number
- Digital logbooks and credentialing
- Expanded training capacity through the Canadian Armed Forces
Expanding training through the military
An additional $250 million investment will expand skilled trades training within the Canadian Armed Forces.
Programs such as the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers will be enhanced to introduce young Canadians to trades careers, while a new Reserve Trades Experience Pilot Program will offer fully funded training in exchange for service in the Primary Reserve.
Supporting nation-building projects
The initiative is designed to support large-scale national projects, including:
- Housing construction
- Energy infrastructure
- Transportation and trade corridors
- Defence and industrial development
Officials say Team Canada Strong will help ensure Canada has the workforce needed to deliver these projects at scale.
Government perspective
Carney said the program reflects the government’s commitment to building both infrastructure and opportunity, positioning skilled trades as a central pillar of Canada’s economic future.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne added that the initiative creates direct, paid pathways into trades careers while supporting employers in training the next generation of workers.
Source: Prime Minister’s Office (pm.gc.ca)
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