Canada is seeing more new apprentices signing up than it has in over a decade, says Statistics Canada, yet the number of apprentices reaching certification in a timely manner remains much lower. Employers unwilling to release workers for training during busy stretches and apprentices anxious about taking final certification exams are also ongoing concerns. “They said ‘This is not a training job.’ Well, in our view, every job is a training job, particularly when you're using public money,” he said. Jeff Sloychuk of the Yukon Building Trades Council wants to build more capacity to train and test apprentices locally, rather than forcing people to travel great distances in order to progress in their trades careers. Fewer apprentices getting certified means fewer journeypeople to guide and teach subsequent apprentices and labourers, he said.

Source: CBC News December 21, 2025 16:32 UTC