Madeline Mazak/The Windsor Star
Windsor is getting a new $9-million investment from Ontario to help train 2,300 much-needed local manufacturing and construction workers.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford was in Windsor Monday with his government’s labour minister to announce the funding, part of the Ontario government’s $224-million Skills Development Fund (SDF) Capital Stream designed to provide skilled trade workers with essential job training.
“People that go into skilled trades, they have a job for life,” Ford said during a press conference held at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 773 in Windsor.
“More and more jobs are coming here because of the people … not just here in Ontario, but right here in Windsor. It’s a manufacturing powerhouse around North America.
“As the Americans know — and I talk to a lot of (state) governors — we are an economic powerhouse now. We weren’t an economic powerhouse six years ago, but we are now. Everyone’s paying attention to Ontario and wanting to come here.”
Ford was joined by Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini, MPP Andrew Dowie (PC — Windsor-Tecumseh), and Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.
The funding includes around $5.5 million for IBEW Local 773 to build a new facility to train more than 600 new electrical workers.
An additional $3 million will go to the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) to develop programs focused on electric vehicles and new battery technology and train 1,500 auto sector workers in Windsor and throughout the province.
Another $500,000 is earmarked for the International Association of Bridge and Ironworkers Local 700 to train at least 170 new iron workers and apprentices.
“This city is positioning itself not just to succeed, but to thrive in the decades ahead,” said Piccini. “Premier Ford recognizes that we have the talent and we have the people to get that job done here.”
According to the labour minister, the Ontario government’s investment in the skilled trades will “help get people better training and into a better job with a bigger pay cheque.”
The new 24,000-square-foot training facility in Windsor is slated for completion by next summer.
“We’re looking forward to getting some of these young men and women off the streets that want to get into the trades,” IBEW Local 773 business manager Karl Lovett told reporters.
“We want to give them the facility to get this training done, and the proper training.”
Lovett said that the union’s training program could only accommodate 36 apprentices this year. That’s from a waitlist of more than 450 applicants.
The new facility will expand the union’s ability to train more electricians, he said.
Monday’s announcement raises Ontario’s total investment in Windsor workers through the Skills Development Fund to more than $15.6 million since 2021, according to the Ford government.
“Companies know they come down to Windsor-Essex County, and there are workers here that will work those jobs,” said local MPP Dowie.
Dilkens called the new funds an “amazing” investment.
“This is an incredible $9-million investment that will allow us to continue to win that war on talent and allow our city and our region to be successful for a long time to come,” the mayor said.
During Monday’s Windsor announcement, Ford insisted it was “a slip” when he referred to the next provincial election coming in 2024. He quickly corrected himself: “The next election — 2026.”