Bruce Power has entered into a partnership with the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario (PBCTCO) to get more skilled workers involved in the Bruce C New Nuclear Project.
A joint statement from Bruce Power and the PBCTCO says that the agreement aims to "ensure the Bruce C New Nuclear Project is supported by a highly qualified skilled trades workforce that builds the talent pipeline for the future while powering Ontario’s economy today."
Through the agreement, this long-term partnership will help strengthen apprenticeship and training opportunities for skilled workers that will support the labour needs of the Bruce C Nuclear Project, which is set to be one of the largest construction projects in Canadian history, according to Bruce Power.
Ensuring a steady flow of skilled workers to assist with this huge undertaking will create more consistent job opportunities and strengthen economic growth, the joint release added.
The next year will see the partnership nail down details on governance, the forecasting dashboard, as well as details on apprenticeship and training expansion, workforce housing and mobility supports.
"The Bruce C Project is a generational opportunity for Ontario to power its future and drive the economy," said Pat Dalzell, Bruce Power Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Market Development. "This strategy will help to make sure that we’re able to employ the right people with the right qualifications, at the right time, while supporting apprenticeships, training capacity, and good-paying jobs that power local communities and the provincial economy."
The strategy includes three core elements:
-Joint governance through a steering committee co-chaired by Bruce Power and the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, supported by project-level subcommittees that bring together contractors, training delivery partners, Indigenous partners, municipalities, and provincial ministries;
-A skilled trades demand/supply forecasting tool to provide shared visibility into workforce needs by trade, anticipate pressures early, and support timely decisions;
-A skilled trades availability mitigation plan that strengthens training capacity, addresses labour gaps, and supports worker mobility and community engagement.
"A project the size of Bruce C would provide good jobs for construction tradespeople, requiring a great deal of planning and collaboration," noted Marc Arsenault, Business Manager and Secretary-Treasurer, Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario. "We’re building for the future and making sure that Ontario has the skilled people needed to deliver complex projects safely, on time, and with lasting economic benefits."
