Ont. announces investment of more than $3.7M to train shipbuilders in Hamilton, Ont.

HAMILTON — The Ontario government is investing over $3.7 million to help 300 shipyard workers, apprentices, and jobseekers in Hamilton and Port Weller get the training they need to earn bigger paycheques for themselves and their families. This funding will help modernize Ontario’s shipyards to attract lucrative shipbuilding contracts and thousands of reportedly well-paying jobs to the province.

“From the auto-sector to shipbuilding, we’re bringing manufacturing jobs back to Ontario,” said Premier Doug Ford. “This new investment will help to ensure that Ontario workers have the skills needed to fill critical labour shortages so we can rebuild our manufacturing industries and build the infrastructure our growing province needs.”

Led by Heddle Shipyards, new and existing workers will have the chance to participate in 12 months of hands-on and in-class learning focused on improving and refreshing technical skills in ship repair and shipbuilding, shipyard health and safety knowledge, and professional development and leadership training. There will also be courses for workers to begin in-demand careers in the skilled trades as welders, millwrights, and electricians, helping tackle the critical shortage of workers in the sector.

“Ontario will need over 100,000 more workers in the skilled trades this decade to build the infrastructure families and businesses rely on,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “Careers like those in shipbuilding are meaningful, well-paying and can offer the path to a better life. That is why our government will continue to invest in ground-breaking training programs to help workers and jobseekers gain the skills they need to land better jobs and bigger paycheques in their communities.”

Workers will also be trained and up-skilled in repairing wooden vessels – a highly specialized and well-paying sector of the ship repair industry. The project aims to increase job opportunities for women, youth, and other under-represented groups in the industry and will include mental health support.

“The Ontario Shipyard Modernization Project has been instrumental in expanding the skills of our people and creating good jobs across all three of our shipyards in Ontario,” said Shaun Padulo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Heddle Shipyards. “We will continue to support jobseekers who face higher barriers to entry and enhance pathways to meaningful and well-paying employment, including having brought 10 Ukrainians and their families to start new lives in Ontario. We thank Premier Ford and Minister McNaughton for making an investment that will pay dividends for Ontario and its workers for generations to come.”

“This investment is a tremendous opportunity to create more high-paying jobs in our community, and also reinforces Hamilton’s status as a critical transportation and training hub in the province. Thank you to our provincial partners for your continued support of developing skilled trade workers, now and into the future,” said Andrea Horwath
Mayor, City of Hamilton.