Alberta is investing $10.7 million in supporting women building careers in the skilled trades.
Through Budget 2023, the funding will go towards Women Building Futures. The non-profit organization helps unemployed and underemployed women explore a future in the skilled trades where they can gain paid, on-the-job experience and build a career.
They offer 18 employment programs in six Alberta communities. Support services, readiness workshops, affordable housing and other programs and resources are also available through the organization, connecting women to employers while developing job-ready skills.
“More women are joining the skilled trades each year and I’m so excited to see that,” said Tanya Fir, parliamentary secretary for the Status of Women.
“Women Building Futures does such important work to prepare and support women looking at skilled trade careers and I’m thrilled that our government is supporting their work. This is great news for women, for families, for businesses, and for Alberta as a whole.”
The province says partnering with Women Building Futures to increase the number of women in the skilled trades offers new opportunities for well-paying, high-demand work while providing industry with access to crucial talent.
About 5,700 women apprentices were registered in Alberta in 2022 – a 20 per cent increase from 2021. Still, the province says there is more work to be done to alleviate the gender gap in the skilled trades.
Since 1998, more than 2,700 women have graduated from Women Building Futures programs.
“Stable operational funding for Women Building Futures during the next three years gives us the flexibility to keep our focus on helping unemployed and underemployed women remove barriers to successful careers in the trades. This is good for women and good for Alberta,” said Carol Moen, president and CEO of Women Building Futures.
Happy Holi to all those celebrating across Alberta and beyond.
Have a very joyous and colourful Holi Festival. May your life be filled with vibrant colour, joy and laughter this season.
Holi is a Hindu Festival that marks the arrival of the spring season in India. Also known as the “festival of colours” it is celebrated with dancing, singing, and the throwing of powder paint and coloured water. It honours the eternal and divine love of the god Radha and Krishna.
On this day, and every day, we recognize the role women have played in the development of our province.
Alberta is the best place to live, work, and raise a family thanks to women like Violet King Henry and the Famous Five. Today, we remember the accomplishment of these women and celebrate the great strides women continue to make as leaders in our province and country.
Nationally, the theme for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023 is Every Woman Counts. It aims to remind all that women of all kinds belong and have a place in every aspect of Canadian society.
The provincial government is committed to ensuring women are leaders in our economic and social recovery, now and for generations to come.
Get involved:
Share social media posts or start a conversation using #IWD2023
There will be more spots available for students in apprenticeship programs.
Alberta is creating more than 1,000 new spaces for high-demand programs at post-secondary institutions across the province. This will be done through a funding boost of $15 million over three years for the Apprenticeship Learning Grants which help schools deliver classroom instruction complimentary to on-the-job training.
New seats will be allocated to post-secondary institutions based on student demand and workforce data for in-demand skilled trades.
“Apprenticeship education is an important part of our post-secondary system. Making sure students have access to programs, training and resources not only sets them up for success but supports and grows industries and our economy with a world-class workforce,” said Minister of Advanced Education, Demetrios Nicolaides.
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The province is seeing an increased demand for skilled workers and apprenticeship learning opportunities. Student registration in apprenticeship programs increased to more than 15,600 in 2022 – up from 7,820 in 2020.
Each new seat created means more opportunities to connect students to well-paying jobs while securing the talent Alberta needs to ensure the province remains competitive in a global economy.
“Investment in post-secondary education is a key driver of Alberta’s economic prosperity,” said Stuart Cullum, president of Red Deer Polytechnic. “The expansion of apprenticeship seats ensures Red Deer Polytechnic can address the increased demand for skilled labour and trades training as Alberta industry and business continue to grow and prosper.”
This increase brings the total grant funding to $42 million in 2023-2024.
Bill 8, the Alberta Firearms Act has been introduced by the provincial government.
If passed, the bill will strengthen the province’s ability to regulate, administer, and advocate on behalf of firearms owners. It will also clarify the role of Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) and require them to issue an annual report to enhance public accountability.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General Tyler Shandro says the act will be the most comprehensive provincial firearms framework in the Canada.
“By establishing in legislation the role of Alberta Chief Firearms Officer, this legislation will elevate the responsibilities and legal mandate of the office to the fullest extent of the law,” he said in a statement.
“Alberta stands unequivocally with hunters, farmers, sport shooters, and Indigenous peoples, all of whom understand the importance of responsible firearm ownership to Alberta’s heritage and culture.”
The Alberta Firearms Act builds on Bill 211, Municipal Government (Firearms) Amendment Act 2020, which prevents municipalities from passing firearms bylaws unless authorized by the province.
The act also introduces the ability to make regulations that would allow for licensing of seizure agents and develop a Firearms Compensation Committee to set out expectations for owners to receive fair compensation.
Requirements will also be created for forensic and ballistic testing of confiscated firearms where necessary, as well as for municipalities and municipal police services to meet regulations before entering into firearms-related funding agreements with the Government of Canada.
“As the owner [of] one of over 650 firearms businesses in Alberta, I am happy to see the Alberta government stepping in and standing up for legal firearms owners,” said J.R. Cox of The Edge Group. “I believe an Alberta Firearms Act is a sorely needed piece of legislation to provide clarity on firearm use and ownership for our diverse community of hunters, farms, and sport shooters.”
There are 341,988 possession/acquisition licence holders in Alberta. Albertans own the second highest number of firearms classified as restricted or prohibited by the federal government.
An average of 30,000 Albertans complete mandatory firearms course training annually en route to obtaining their firearms licence. That number increased to 38,000 in 2021.
Both B.C. and Quebec have legislation the regulates firearms outside of wildlife and hunting, while Saskatchewan recently introduced legislation to regulate firearms.
