👷‍♂️ Talent Thursdays: $1 billion

Together with

Good morning! 🌊 Tired of getting stuck in traffic on your way to work? B.C. real estate developer Andy Baines used his standup paddle board to traverse 6 nautical miles, from Britannia Beach to Oceanfront Squamish, to get to the office.

📈 LABOUR BY THE NUMBERS

Ontario has reached a record 105,124 active apprentices in 2024–25, the highest since 2016, driven by its $1.5 billion Skills Development Fund (SDF) launched in 2021 to close the province’s skills gap. The fund supports both training and infrastructure upgrades across sectors like construction, manufacturing, and tech, with a record $260 million invested in 2024 alone.

👷‍♀️ PEOPLE MOVES

Luke Simpson has been appointed as President & CEO of CANA Group of Companies. He represents the third generation of Simpson family leadership, continuing an 80+ year legacy of construction and community building across Alberta.

Michael Quast will be taking over the CEO role at Passive House Canada. Quast has more than two decades of leadership experience spanning construction, sustainability, brand development and stakeholder engagement.

Marlene Arianna has been promoted to Senior Vice President, People & Culture at EllisDon. 

Mustafa Khalid is now Project Controls Director at Ledcor after spending more than five years at Aecon Group. Khalid is a past winner of Top 40 Under 40 in Canadian Construction. 

Dustin Luchka has been promoted to Vice President of Marketing and Communications at EllisDon.

Sarah Cwikla is now North American Growth Leader, Water, at Stantec. She has been with the company for more than 8 years. 

James Behnke has joined Fillmore Construction as Director of Preconstruction. 

Louis-Philippe Sylvestre has started a new role at Pomerleau as Regional Vice President, Ottawa. He brings over 25 years of experience in organizational leadership and business strategy in construction.

Aidan Connell was promoted to Vice President, Excavation, Shoring & Foundations at Hall. 

Parth Choksi has been promoted to VDC Manager at EllisDon. 

Krista Chisholm is now Health & Safety Manager at Smith Bros & Wilson. 

Lori McMillan has joined BGIS as Managing Director of Construction Services. Previously, McMillan spent more than 12 years at Ledcor.

Crozier has announced a series of leadership appointments: Alex Fleming, P.Eng., MBA, is promoted to Vice President, Transportation; Kirsten Andersen, J.D., joins as General Counsel; Brittany Robertson, P.Eng., is promoted to Director, Development; Janet Hughes, CHRL, is promoted to Director, Corporate Services; Chris Gerrits, M.Sc., P.Eng., is promoted to Director, Development; Elaine Plewes is promoted to Director, Finance.

TOGETHER WITH REDLINE MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Building a Stronger Construction Industry—Starting with the Subtrades

Skilled trades are at the core of every successful project, yet many struggle with systems, communication, and strategy. At RMS, we partner with subcontractors and specialty trades to eliminate the friction that slows down projects. Through smarter workflows, tighter forecasting, and technology that streamlines day-to-day operations, we bridge the gap between field and office, generals and subs, and planning and execution. We provide tailored solutions to help trades run more efficient and profitable operations. Our goal is simple: reduce chaos on site, improve cash flow, and help you win more work. When subs thrive, the entire project succeeds. Download the RMS Blueprint: 5 practical growth strategies for subcontractors ready to cut chaos, boost profits, and win more work.

📆 EVENTS

SiteSummit: Tickets are nearly gone

We are just weeks away from SiteSummit and the window to secure your seat is closing. If you’ve been thinking about attending—now’s the time to move. Join us May 26–27 to connect with high-level construction leaders, listen to expert panels and start the second half of 2025 with momentum.

🗞 HEADLINES

🛠️ Retrained: In response to U.S. tariffs, Ontario is expanding its Skills Development Fund by nearly $1 billion over the next three years, bringing total investment to $2.5 billion. Premier Doug Ford emphasized the government's commitment to supporting workers affected by layoffs, with $705 million in new funding allocated through the 2025 Ontario Budget to train and reskill workers, particularly in sectors vulnerable to trade pressures such as manufacturing and health care.

💻 Open borders: Alberta has launched a new free trade website to showcase its leadership in promoting internal trade, labour mobility, and investment across Canada. The site highlights current initiatives and invites workers and businesses nationwide to report existing barriers, helping the government work toward reducing or eliminating them.

👷‍♀️ Future expansion: Women Building Futures, a non-profit founded in Edmonton in 1998 to support women entering the skilled trades, is expanding its training programs to Ontario, marking its presence in a third province. Driven by demand in industries like petrochemicals, manufacturing, and automotive, the organization launched its first Ontario program in Sarnia with support from Shell, NOVA Chemicals, and Imperial Oil. 

💵 Move-in bonus: As part of its "Alberta is Calling" campaign, the Alberta government is offering a $5,000 moving bonus to up to 2,000 skilled tradespeople who relocated to the province between May and December 2024, aiming to address ongoing labour shortages. Eligible applicants must work full-time and be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

🧠 LEADERSHIP

Resources for professional development

• Are collaborative robots a solution to the trades shortage?

• Standardizing your company’s approach can pay off

• Top construction software for 2025

• How to prevent a mental health crisis at work

• Mike Holmes: The best trades to get into

💬 QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“A world which sees art and engineering as divided is not seeing the world as a whole.” — Professor Sir Edmund Happold

🔥HOT JOBS

Construction Manager - Woodstock, Ont. - Sierra Construction Group

Project Manager - Surrey, B.C. - Double V Construction

Director of Construction - Cambridge, Ont. Traugott Building Contractors

Nuclear Engineering Director - Oakville, Ont. - Kiewit

Senior Project Accountant - Edmonton, Alta. - PCL Construction

Check out all roles up for grabs right now at SiteNews Jobs or put your job post in front of tens of thousands of construction professionals here.

Struggling to fill a role? send us an email at [email protected] to connect with one of our specialized recruitment experts.

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Here’s to a great rest of the week!

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