As the global trade landscape shifts, Canada's new government is focused on what it can control: building a stronger, more independent economy. That means accelerating nation‑building projects-from affordable housing to defence and local infrastructure-which all depend on a strong skilled trades workforce.
Today in Saint John, the Honourable Wayne Long, Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions), took part in an event to highlight Team Canada Strong, the government's new flagship measure to recruit, train, and hire 80,000 to 100,000 new Red Seal trades workers in the next five years. Announced as part of the Spring Economic Update, this measure will deliver:
- End-to-end support: supporting young Canadians every step of their professional careers.
- Faster results: our overarching goal is to cut the time it takes to get certified by 50 per cent.
- The scale to deliver: an ambitious $6 billion investment into Team Canada Strong.
- And a multi-channel approach: We will work faster to train more workers with our partners-other levels of governments, Indigenous partners, businesses, unions, and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
Team Canada Strong will:
- Recruit:
- We will deploy $2 billion to support young Canadians with paid, job-ready placements that lead directly into registered apprenticeships.
- This investment will also support the launch of the Build Canada Apprenticeship Service, to provide up to $10,000 for an apprentice's first-year salary, match apprentices to job opportunities, and offer direct navigation and support to help employers hire, train, and retain apprentices.
- We will deploy $2 billion to support young Canadians with paid, job-ready placements that lead directly into registered apprenticeships.
- Train:
- We will boost and modernise apprenticeship training to expedite Red Seal certification with $331 million in funding over five years, starting in 2026-27, and $18 million ongoing.
- We will digitise the Red Seal Program, introducing online exams, digital logbooks, and secure credentials, to reduce certification timelines.
- We will expand the Union Training and Innovation Program to enable union-run training centres to upgrade facilities, expand capacity, and invest in modern equipment.
- Hire:
- We will provide $3.4 billion over five years, starting in 2026-27, and $468 million ongoing to address the challenges that can stop apprentices from completing their training and moving into permanent jobs.
- We will offer a one-time $5,000 apprenticeship completion bonus to those that obtain certification in a Red Seal trade.
- With the Apprenticeship Training Grant, we will provide a $400 weekly top-up while apprentices attend mandatory in-class technical training.
- This represents a total payment of up to $16,000 per apprentice, paid in addition to Employment Insurance.
Furthermore, the government will expand Canada's skilled trades training capacity through the CAF with $250 million over five years, starting in 2026-27, and $45 million ongoing. It will deliver support for young Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers interested in learning about trades through training to certification. The government will also accelerate the pace of training by piloting a new CAF pathway, enabling Canadians to complete their apprenticeship while contributing directly to CAF operations and readiness.
With rapid-scale, high-quality training and end-to-end supports, Team Canada Strong will transform the skilled trades, bring more apprentices into the workforce, and ensure young Canadians are ready to build the homes, energy projects, ports, arenas, and defence industries Canada needs. The government is creating clear, paid pathways for young Canadians into good careers, strengthening Canada's future workforce, and ensuring we can build Canada strong for all.
