NEWS RELEASE: Ottawa is Spending Billions to Fix a Trades Shortage Manitoba is Making Worse
WCA and CARM Call on Kinew Government to Immediately Restore 2:1 Apprenticeship Ratio
WINNIPEG, April 29, 2026 — The federal government is investing billions of dollars into Canadian Skilled Trades, but a backwards policy from Manitoba’s government means some of our young people will be left behind.
The Winnipeg Construction Association (WCA) and the Construction Association of Rural Manitoba (CARM) are applauding the federal announcement of $6 billion to recruit, train and hire up to 100,000 new skilled trades workers by 2030‑31. The Carney government has recognized what the construction industry has long known: skilled trades are the backbone of Canada’s economy, and investing in the next generation of tradespeople is investing in Canada’s future. This is bold, necessary and long overdue.
That investment makes what is happening in Manitoba all the more frustrating. While the federal government is spending billions to grow the trades workforce, Manitoba’s 1:1 journeyperson-to-apprentice ratio is actively shrinking it. Ottawa is opening doors for young Manitobans who want careers in the trades. The Province is closing them.
WCA and CARM are calling on the Province of Manitoba to immediately restore the 2:1 journeyperson-to-apprentice ratio — and to align Manitoba’s apprenticeship policy with the national direction the federal government has just established.
Manitoba’s Numbers Tell the Story
Since the Kinew government imposed the 1:1 ratio, the data is unambiguous:
• New apprentice registrations fell from 3,128 in 2023-24 to 2,730 in 2024-25 — a drop of nearly 400 in a single year.
• Active apprentices declined from 11,878 to 11,628.
The math is simple: a 1:1 ratio means every journeyperson on a job site can train only one apprentice. Restore the ratio to 2:1 and Manitoba employers can immediately double the number of young people entering the trades. At a time when Canada is declaring a trades shortage a national priority, Manitoba is limiting its own pipeline.
The federal Team Canada Strong program offers apprentices up to $16,000 in income support during in-class training, a $5,000 Red Seal completion bonus, and employers up to $10,000 per apprentice in first-year wage subsidies. Based on Manitoba’s registration decline since the 1:1 ratio was imposed, WCA and CARM estimate that Manitoba workers and employers could miss out on more than $50 million in federal apprenticeship support over the five-year life of the program — money that will flow to workers and employers in every other province while Manitoba’s own policy keeps employers from taking apprentices. It is difficult to square the Premier’s ambition to be a ‘have’ province with a policy that actively narrows opportunities for Manitoba workers and employers.
“The federal government has just told us, in clear terms and backed by $6 billion, that Canada needs more trades workers — not fewer. Manitoba’s 1:1 ratio is a direct contradiction of that national priority. Every year we leave this policy in place is another year of young Manitobans who didn’t get the apprenticeship they wanted, and another year of employers who couldn’t take them on. The Kinew government can fix this today. There is no good reason to wait.”
— Darryl Harrison, Director of Stakeholder Engagement, Winnipeg Construction Association
A Disservice to Young Manitobans
Apprenticeship is one of the most reliable pathways to a stable, well-paying career available to young Canadians. When the Province limits the number of apprenticeship positions available, it is limiting opportunity. In rural Manitoba, where contractor crews are often small, the 1:1 ratio can mean the difference between a young person getting a start in the trades and not getting one at all.
“For rural contractors, this isn’t an abstract policy debate — it’s a daily reality. A small crew with two or three journeypersons can only bring on two or three apprentices under the current rules. Go back to 2:1 and we can double that. These are real jobs, real careers, and real futures for young people in communities across Manitoba. The Province should be making it easier for our members to bring young people into the trades, not harder.”
— Shawn Wood, Executive Director, Construction Association of Rural Manitoba
The Ask
The WCA and CARM are calling on the Kinew government to immediately restore the journeyperson-to-apprentice ratio to 2:1 across all trades.
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About the Winnipeg Construction Association
The Winnipeg Construction Association represents the Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) construction industry in Winnipeg and surrounding areas, with members spanning general contractors, trade contractors, and manufacturers and suppliers. WCA advocates on behalf of an industry that employs tens of thousands of Manitobans and contributes billions to the provincial economy annually.
About the Construction Association of Rural Manitoba
The Construction Association of Rural Manitoba (CARM) represents ICI construction contractors and industry stakeholders across rural Manitoba. CARM advocates for policies that support a competitive, skilled, and accessible construction workforce in communities throughout the province.
Media Contacts
Darryl Harrison Director, Stakeholder Engagement, Winnipeg Construction Association darryl@winnipegconstruction.ca
Shawn Wood Executive Director, Construction Association of Rural Manitoba carmed@carm.ca