Poilievre continues to court workers with pledge to train 350,000 tradespeople

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is making a strong push to attract working-class voters with his latest plan to train an additional 350,000 trade workers across Canada. Dubbed as “more boots, less suits,” Poilievre emphasized that his goal is to create a country that prioritizes the people who do the actual work.

During a press conference in Ottawa, Poilievre highlighted the importance of taking control of Canada’s economy in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. He stressed the need to equip Canadians with the necessary skills to meet the global demand for goods and services.

Aside from increasing the number of skilled trade workers, Poilievre also proposed to streamline regulations nationwide and expand financial aid for training programs. One of his immediate actions would be to reinstate apprenticeship grants of up to $4,000, which were initially introduced by the previous Conservative government and are set to expire soon.

The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant and the Apprenticeship Completion Grant, both worth a maximum of $2,000 each, were part of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s initiatives. While applications for these grants are still open until the end of the month, there has been no confirmation from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office regarding an extension.

Despite the upcoming expiration of these grants, there are still existing support systems in place to assist apprentices in completing their training. These include interest-free loans of up to $20,000, access to employment insurance benefits, financial support for companies hiring apprentices, and funding opportunities for union projects through the Union Training and Innovation Program.

Poilievre aims to garner support from unions and workers by expanding the Union Training and Innovation Program to facilitate apprenticeship training facility construction. He also plans to introduce a specialized class of employment insurance for pre-registered apprentices and work with provincial governments to standardize health and safety protocols for tradespeople nationwide.

In his efforts to fund these initiatives, Poilievre outlined a strategy to cut bureaucratic expenses, consultant fees, foreign aid, and wasteful spending. By reallocating resources towards essential training programs, he envisions a stronger workforce and a more prosperous economy for Canada.

This announcement aligns with Poilievre’s recent focus on industrial workers and tradespeople, including promises to eliminate carbon pricing for large industrial emitters and expedite mining permits in Ontario’s Ring of Fire region. With a vision of unlocking the economic potential of northern Ontario and revitalizing local communities, Poilievre is positioning the Conservative party as a champion for working-class Canadians.