There's financial help coming from Ottawa for carpenters in the Greater Sudbury area.
Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré was in Azilda Monday to announce funding that will not only help carpenters, but the trades in general.
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners Local 2486 were able to purchase a new forklift and dust collector thanks to over $270,000 in funding from the federal government.
Tom Cardinal is the local union coordinator and northern Ontario area manager for the carpenters union local 2486.
"Replacing the older model that we used to have. Equipment that we currently have purchased today is the equipment of choice that is used on the jobsite. So the people know how to operate equipment when they go to the site." said Cardinal.
Serré said the money will help the trade unions modernize their training facilities and purchase equipment.
The new equipment will help apprentices who are currently working in the trades to upgrade their skills.
The local MP says he also hope it will encourage more people to get into not only carpentry, but all trades.
"We have a crisis here in Greater Sudbury and in northern Ontario. There's a lack of trades people all across the board. From welders to mechanics to carpenters and electricians, there is a big need and I’m hearing it all over with employers. They're either refusing work or they're moving their operations to southern Ontario. So, we have to do better." said Serré.
"Right now, our local union is sitting at about 1,100. We would really like to see that number be at about 1,250." said Cardinal.
Serré says he is looking at hosting a summit in the near future that would bring several unions together to hopefully get the word out that there are good paying jobs in the trades.
