B.C. welcomes Ottawa’s skilled trades push in spring economic update

May 14, 2026

British Columbia welcomed Ottawa’s investments in skilled trades in its spring economic update.

The federal government’s financial update outlines a plan to recruit up to 100,000 new Red Seal skilled trades workers by 2031.

That includes $2 billion over five years for paid entry-level placements for youth to gain experience leading into apprenticeship, plus $262 million per year in ongoing funding.

A new program would also provide wage subsidies to employers of up to $10,000 for an apprentice’s first-year salary, and an apprenticeship training grant would offer trainees $400 per week during in-class technical training.

Ottawa said another $331 million would go toward modernizing and streamlining the Red Seal Program, which sets common standards for trades across Canada. Workers would get a $5,000 bonus for completing a Red Seal certification.

The federal government estimates Canada will need more than 1.4 million more trades workers by 2033. It said in 2024, only about a third of the 100,000 registered apprentices finished their apprenticeship, often due to financial pressures.

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