The Building Trades of Alberta (BTA) welcomes the joint announcement from Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith regarding a new agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta on pipelines and carbon infrastructure development.

The agreement signals a renewed commitment to advancing major nation-building projects that will strengthen Canada’s energy sector, create thousands of high-paying skilled trades jobs, and ensure Alberta remains a global leader in responsible energy production.

“This announcement sends a strong signal that governments are prepared to work together to move critical infrastructure projects forward,” said Terry Parker, Executive Director of the Building Trades of Alberta. “Alberta’s unionized skilled trades workforce is ready to build the pipelines, carbon capture infrastructure, and industrial projects that will support economic growth and long-term energy security for Canada.”

Following the announcement, Prime Minister Carney toured UA Local 496, a BTA-affiliated union training centre, where he met with apprentices, instructors, and industry leaders to discuss the importance of workforce development in meeting the demands of major projects across Alberta and Canada.

During the visit, discussions focused on the vital role that unionized skilled trades workers and union-led training programs play in delivering large-scale infrastructure projects safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards.

“The Prime Minister’s visit to UA Local 496 highlighted the reality that major projects cannot move forward without a highly trained workforce,” Parker added. “Union training centres are already preparing the next generation of skilled trades workers who will build Canada’s future energy and industrial infrastructure.”

The Building Trades of Alberta emphasized that continued collaboration between governments, labour organizations, and industry will be essential to ensuring Canada has the workforce capacity necessary to meet growing project demands while creating long-term career opportunities for Albertans.

Representing more than 60,000 skilled trades workers across Alberta, the Building Trades of Alberta advocates for policies that support apprenticeship training, major project development, and family-supporting union careers in the construction trades.