December 3, 2024
The Empire Club of Canada Presents
Tools of the Trade: Ontario’s Blueprint for Prosperity with Honourable David Piccini
Chairperson: Jenna Donelson, President, Board of Directors, Empire Club of Canada
Moderator
Michael “Pinball” Clemons, General Manager, Toronto Argonauts; Founder, The Pinball Foundation
Distinguished Guest Speaker
The Honourable David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, Government of Ontario
Head Table Guests
Marc Arsenault, Business Manager & Secretary-Treasurer, Provincial Building & Trades Council of Ontario
Victoria Mancinelli, Director, PR, Communications & Strategic Partnerships, LiUNA
Welcome Address by Jenna Donelson, President, Board of Directors, Empire Club of Canada
I’m Jenna Donelson, chair of this historic organization, and your host for today’s event.
To formally begin, I want to acknowledge that we are gathering on the Traditional and Treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the homelands of the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat Peoples. I encourage you all to learn more about the Traditional Territory on which you work and live.
I would also like to begin by recognizing our sponsors. The Empire Club is a non-profit organization, and our sponsors generously support the club, make these events possible, and make viewing online complimentary. So, please join me in offering a huge thank you to our Lead Sponsors, Bruce Power, and LiUNA. And to our VIP Reception Sponsors, WCG Services, Food and Beverage Ontario, the Ontario Road Builders Association, and Waste Connections of Canada. And thank you, as well, to our Supporting Sponsors, the Greater Toronto Sewer and Water Main Contractors Association, and the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario. Thank you. And I also want to say, we are so deeply appreciative of our ongoing support of our Lead Season Sponsors, Bruce Power and Hydro One, and our VIP Reception Season Sponsor, Waste Connections of Canada. Thank you. And finally, thank you to our Media Partner, the Toronto Star, and our AV Partner, Bespoke Audio Visual.
If you have a question for our speakers, please scan the QR code found in your program, or if you’re online, use the Q&A function. For those of you who are online, if you require technical assistance, use the chat function, and our team will be there to help you.
Today’s discussion is an important one about Ontario’s future, a topic that could not be more timely, or more pressing. I know that everyone in this room is deeply invested in Ontario’s success. We all want our province to be a place where our families thrive, where opportunities for our kids and grandkids abound, and where we can be proud of the communities we’re building. Economically, it seems like some key measures are improving, but we continue to face some persistent challenges that are hard to ignore. These are the conversations you’ve been having with friends and colleagues. People are still worried about the cost of living. They’re anxious about whether their kids will be able to afford a home, whether our public infrastructure can keep up with growth, and whether we’re truly prepared for the economic challenges and opportunities ahead. Economists and parents alike wonder whether we have the workforce we need, to turn our ambitions into reality.
You all know these stats. And one of the most concerning ones is that a third of our skilled tradespeople are approaching retirement, and there aren’t enough younger workers to step in, and fill their shoes. This is a major hurdle for everything we’re trying to accomplish, from housing construction, to clean energy projects, to public transit expansion. Without those skilled tradespeople, none of these plans can move forward. And these challenges don’t exist in a vacuum. Ontario is part of an integrated North American economy. And uncertainty in the global landscape, especially following the recent U.S. election, reminds us how connected our economies really are. Like Pierre Trudeau once said, living next to the U.S. really is like sleeping next to an elephant.
But here is the good news: we are not just here today to highlight these problems. At the Empire Club, we come to talk about solutions, and that is why I am delighted that we are hosting the Honourable David Piccini today. He is Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, and he’s going to share his plan to support real, actionable steps to help ensure Ontario’s prosperity, and how he is championing initiatives that empower workers, protect their rights, and prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow.
And now it is my pleasure to invite Marc Arsenault to come up, on behalf of Bruce Power, one of today’s Lead Event Sponsors, to offer a few words and introduce Minister Piccini. Marc is the Business Manager and Secretary-Treasurer at the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario. So, please join me in welcoming to the stage, Marc Arsenault.
Opening Remarks by Marc Arsenault, Business Manager & Secretary-Treasurer, Provincial Building & Trades Council of Ontario
Thank you, Jenna, for that kind introduction, and good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be with you here today, on behalf of the Ontario Building Trades, an organization that represents 15 construction craft unions, and over 150,000 skilled trades professionals, who are employed in building the province’s roads, bridges, hospitals, and energy infrastructure. But we don’t do it alone. I see many of our contractor and owner partners here in the room. It’s through collaboration with them; it’s through our investment in training and apprenticeships, through our 100 training centres across the province, that we strive to improve safety, training, and employment opportunities.
Our apprenticeship model is “earn while you learn.” Learning and transferring knowledge from journeyperson to apprentice, paving the way for the next generation of construction trades professionals to hone their skills in building Ontario, because the success of our great province depends on our collaborative ability to supply the highly-skilled workforce that our industry demands. Our partnership with owners and contractors has evolved over the years, but what remains steadfast is our shared commitment to building projects on time, on budget, and most importantly, safely. These fundamental building blocks have endured for decades, and so, too, has our desire to work collaboratively with government, to improve the lives of workers.
Our keynote speaker today is always eager to meet with trades professionals, and support our industry. Now, in his second year in the post, Minister David Piccini has earned his reputation of rolling up his sleeves, and working for workers. It is my distinct honour to introduce the Minister today. And while he needs little introduction to most in this room, I would like to say that through the Minister’s leadership at the Cabinet table, we have seen a proactive approach to rejuvenate public interest in the skilled trade sector, precisely at a time when it is needed.
Minister Piccini understands that young people entering the skilled trades can have a safe, long, and prosperous career, which is why he is a passionate champion of the sector. He is also leading the charge in helping to diversify our industry, attracting more people to realize and experience the amazing career opportunities that exist for everyone in our industry. New Canadians, Indigenous people, veterans, and women, evident through his support of our Ontario Building and Construction Trades Women’s Program. Ladies and gentlemen, addressing the Empire Club of Canada, please join me in welcoming a friend of the building trades, Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, Minister David Piccini.
The Honourable David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development for Ontario
Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so very much to all of you, who are here today. What an incredible room. Marc, thank you for that great introduction, and your conviction and leadership for young men and women in the skilled trades. To board chair, Jenna Donelson, board members of the Empire Club, Kent Emerson and staff, thank you for inviting me to speak, and for hosting today’s sold-out event. What a room today. [Applause] Exactly.
It’s a real distinct honour to be here. Many in our society, of course, have forgotten how we have the things we use every day, our highways to get to today, our homes we’ve come from, the hospitals, universities, colleges, transit systems, our energy facilities, and so much more. Literally, everything around us has to be built by someone. It was built by the hard-working men and women in the trades. Skilled trades workers build our communities, keep our lights on, deliver our goods, and so much more. Workers across all trades and disciplines have contributed to a legacy in our province, and their hard work enables us to be the economic engine of this great country, Canada.
As Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, I believe that it is imperative that we keep our economy moving, with a focus on the workers, who keep it moving. And so, of course, I’m here today to speak about the tools of the trade, Ontario’s blueprint for prosperity and productivity growth. When I say tools, I don’t mean physical tools—although I’m sure my wife wishes that after a year in the job, I’d be a bit more of a handyman around the house—I mean, the core building blocks for prosperity. I mean, the big things we are doing with the trades, and skills training, to ignite our economy, and build a stronger Ontario. I’ve said often that one of the greatest existential threats facing our great province, our country, is our declining productivity. In the 1970’s, just think, we were the sixth-most productive economy in the OECD, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. And in 2022, we have fallen to 18th.
How did we get here? There of course are a variety of reasons. Canada has become more focused on performative actions, than on the core building blocks of success. In Ontario, we became a jurisdiction defined by the highest regulatory burden, and complex regulatory systems, that made it harder for goods and labour to move. Through a complex web of permits, and endless processes, and escalating fees, getting shovels in the ground to build the infrastructure we need became a near impossible feat. Just think, in this great province, for those we’ve attracted from abroad, with the skills needed to fill in-demand jobs, they’re met with bureaucratic red tape, and an endless merry-go-round of no’s, and more forms to fill out, as we seek to recognize their credentials. Under Premier Ford’s leadership, our government has been laser-focused on turning this around. It’s a big ship, so turning it around takes effort, because increasing our productivity means increasing our standard of living. It means more jobs, it means higher wages, a more resilient economy against the threat of inflation. It matters enormously to the socio-economic well-being of Ontarians, of Canadians. Here in Ontario, we’re responsible for close to 40% of Canada’s economic output. I want to grow that. And it’s not a matter of political ideology; I believe it’s a moral and national imperative to turn this ship around.
There are those who associate improving productivity with worsening outcomes for workers, working harder, longer, experiencing burnout and fatigue. But in actual fact, that’s not the case. It means working smarter, it means investing in new technologies, it means a more educated and better-trained workforce. I want to zero in on that last point. That’s the crux, zero in on that last point, the point about being more educated. Formal schooling has never been higher in our country, yet we see our productivity declining, relative to our peers. Now, this lies at the heart of what I’m here to talk to you about today. Premier Ford and our government recognize that more education is important, however, we must refocus that attention to the type of learning that builds the skills that are useful to workers, employers, and the economy. How do we build and instill these tools for success? One, we invest in training. Two, we reduce barriers. And three, we build relationships.
So, let’s talk training. Investments in training today, that meet the needs of tomorrow’s society. Instilling our young boys and girls with the ability and the skillsets to navigate our ever-changing economy. Because you don’t value a society that you passively inherit. We value a society that we have an active stake in creating. And that’s why we launched one of the largest training funds in Ontario’s history, our Skills Development Fund, that many of you have already pulled me over to talk about this morning. It’s broken into two streams: capital, one that helps build training facilities—think bricks-and-mortar—and the training stream. One that funds better training for better jobs, with bigger paycheques. In the first round of our capital stream, we’re helping build, just think of this, 235,000 new training spots. And that’s just round one. And it’s employer-driven, with the skill sets to land a job. And that’s what’s so exciting about this. But we know we need to do more. And I heard what you said, through round one feedback—which is just getting started, but we’re already listening to constructive feedback—so, I changed it. Let’s pause, and acknowledge the fact that we, as a government, listen. We are a government that acts, and we’ve made this fund better. And this is Premier Doug Ford’s way. I’m telling you, to everyone in this room, you will never have a more accessible Premier, than we have today. Just ask the Food Basics worker, who spoke to him on Saturday—I hadn’t spoken to the Premier in a week, and he was speaking with him over the weekend.
As we speak, of course, our intake is open for the first round of SDF Capital SEED and GROW. The SEED stream, to help develop that vision for training—for those of you that have a vision, and want to bring it to reality, SEED stream is for you. The GROW stream, to help people get it done, that brings that vision to life. When you have 40% design drawings, your Class B estimates, and you’re ready to get shovels in the ground, the GROW stream is for you.
This program is based on a bet. It’s a bet that Premier Ford and I are willing to take. It’s a bet on you, the Ontario worker, because Premier Ford and I know that that’s a winning bet. A bet on Ontario’s workforce is a bet on a vision for a better future of training in this province. And that future reflects a reality, that training takes place in more than university and college classrooms. In communities like mine, a classroom could be on the side of a historical building, restoring a facade of one of Port Hope’s oldest buildings. It could be at Downsview Aerospace, at the forefront of the tech sector—of course, Ontario’s tech sector is growing four times faster than that of Silicon Valley. Or it could be in Thunder Bay, where we’re bringing primary care closer to home, thanks to externship programs that have 100% retention, and are bringing more young men and women into primary care. Hospital in Northumberland, our Northumberland Hills Hospital, their motto is “Care Closer to Home. “Taking that a step further, it’s training closer to home, and we’re going to make it a reality.
It’s not just the new physical training centres we’re building. Through our training stream, we are building the ladders of economic opportunity, for those who are willing to climb them. The training stream is the ladder, by supporting employers and training organizations, that help workers get the skill sets that they need to get a better job with a bigger paycheque. To date, more than 667,000 Ontarians have directly benefited from specialized job training, to help them find meaningful employment. This is rapid training for a rapidly changing economy. Training that helps people find purpose, dignity and self-worth.
It’s not just for construction and jobs in the skilled trades, but it’s businesses like Melly’s Café, in Whitby, I visited on my way home last week, where they work with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, to learn the practical and soft skills to help them find employment where they cannot just prosper, where they can thrive. I bet you didn’t know that one-in-four adults with intellectual disabilities, only one-in-four, are employed. I think previous governments recognized and measured success by the dollar figures spent, not the outcomes for real people, for human beings. And I believe, with every bone in my body, that diversity of opportunity fundamentally leads to better outcomes. And that’s why this fund is backing the training opportunities, at places like Melly’s. If you haven’t been, you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go—just don’t ask for the Piccini Cappuccino.
And they know we’re boosting productivity in the province, and we have to come to terms with the reality that there are close to, if not more, than two million people in our province, who are here with temporary status. Canada once had consensus on immigration. That spanned political parties. That spanned regardless of political affiliation, whatever colour party you choose to align with. And the federal government has shattered that consensus, broken our immigration system. Provinces are limited on what we can do to address this. But I lament that the current system is more focused on fostering state dependency than individual autonomy, growth, and prosperity. I’m a firm believer in giving people the skills to succeed, to integrate into our communities, and to reach their full potential. And that means breaking down barriers, so that all residents, regardless of where they come from, can contribute to and benefit from, our shared prosperity.
Take, for example, the fact that Ontario, this province, was the first jurisdiction in Canada to ban discriminatory Canadian work experience requirements, in favour of pure competency assessment. We introduced parallel processing, because we don’t want people to be held up, simply because they are missing one piece of paper. Think of a Ukrainian, that’s fled the brutal Russian aggression. No more red tape. This is the transformation we are leading at the Labour Ministry. One, have a plan to get people’s competency assessed. Two, have a timeline, so we don’t waver. And three, give them clarity and paths into jobs, with the training I just mentioned. Simply put, the piece of legislation that governed credentialing, from all but our healthcare trades, hadn’t been touched in years, until we came into government.
My belief in training this comes from experience. When I worked for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, I had the opportunity to work with remarkable physicians and surgeons, designing a competency-based system to physician training, that had competency at its core. And that’s the system we’re bringing to Ontario.
Finally, I want to talk a bit about relationships. For many years, Progressive Conservative governments were defined solely by their relationship with employers. I recognize that, the Premier recognized that. Today, I’m so proud, so proud, as I look at this room today, to say that that’s not the case. The presence of organized labour here in this room speaks volumes to the value that Premier Ford and I place in that close relationship we have with unions across Ontario. Thank you for being here.
Workers recognize that nobody benefits when you don’t have a job to go to, and businesses recognize that when their workers are productive, the economy will thrive. This government recognizes that the tools of success for both are to create a low tax environment, where investment prospers. Workers, businesses, government, this is the three-legged stool that a productive economy can rely on, and we continue to reduce the burden on businesses and workers. Just last week, I announced a historic reduction in Ontario’s payroll tax, making today’s rate a historic 50-year low. But no, that didn’t come at the backs of workers. We also announced an investment of over $400 million, to support safe employers, who are willing to make investments to make their workplaces safer, and to support workers in being safer on the job.
Furthermore, we cut the previous government’s tax on the trades. Under this government, we’re saving apprentices up to $570, over the course of their training. We’ve taken a program that costs more to administer—like, go figure on that, for just one moment. Our Tools Grant Program cost more to administer—our Tools Loan Program, I should say—than the actual loans that went out, to help that struggling first person land an apprenticeship. We turned that into a grant. Take Andrea, for example, a first-year apprentice I met in Vaughan. She wanted a career for life, so she took one of our Skills Development Fund programs. I gave her her first set of tools, to get her going through a grant program, supported her, with some of the core wraparound supports she needed to succeed. She now works downtown, where she told me, as I met her daughter at the Labour Day parade, she said, “Mom built that.” What an immense sense of pride, to show your daughter that you built that. She also benefits from properly fitting PPE. I know to everyone in this room that seems like common sense, but it wasn’t. So, we put that in law. She benefits from clean washrooms, because we took the same standards from Bay Street, and brought them to Main Street. And we’re the first province in Canada to enshrine that in our Occupational Health and Safety Act.
And we’re not just doing that in the skilled trades. Take the Bahamian woman I met, with the Brothers and Sisters from UNITE HERE Local 75, and I’ll never forget that day. Her co-workers huddled at the back of that Sheriton, peeking through the doors, upon the completion of yet another successful Skills Development Fund program, as she received a powerful, very powerful acknowledgement of her potential. Not an Ontario Works cheque, but a certificate acknowledging her unique skills and abilities, in landing that better job, with that better paycheque. What has been the result of these efforts? A 30% increase in women registration in apprenticeships in 2023, an increase in Indigenous registration in apprenticeships.
Because you all know, for those of you that want a new hospital, I’m fighting for one in Campbellford, we’re never going to build the hospitals, the schools, the public transit we need, leaving 50% of our workforce behind. I didn’t get into this job, to listen to the vocal minority in this country, who oppose the interests of hardworking men and women in this province. Minority who’s okay with expensive power, less transit, fewer hospitals, scarce homes, and no future, and they will find every reason to study it to death. They would rather have us stuck at a standstill. That’s not something I’m willing to accept, when we need more than 220,000 construction workers, to deliver on our commitment of 1.5 million new homes. It’s not something I’m willing to accept, when more than one-in-three tradespeople are retiring, in the next decade. And it’s not something I’m willing to accept, when people in rural Ontario are struggling to find a primary care practitioner. We know too many are allergic to building, because saying no is in their DNA. And we have allowed that to permeate across Ontario for too, too long.
It’s the relationships that we’ve built that have helped us find solutions. They’ve challenged government to do better, and it’s those solutions that are helping enable us build the future. It’s that simple. To passively inherit is dangerous, to passively accept the status quo is reckless. But we won’t let that happen, because the price of inaction is too costly to ignore. When I look across this room, you know what I see? I see builders, I see doers; I see people who create something from nothing, who take an empty plot of land, and turn it into a place to call home. People who harness the power of our resources to heat it, and enable the transportation infrastructure that connects all of it. And it’s not just the skilled tradespeople in this room, it’s the hospitality workers that put service before self, the healthcare workers who heal us, the first responders, who ensure safe communities.
So, in closing, I have a simple message. Thank you. Thank you for making all of this possible. None of this happens without you. You power Ontario. You heal Ontario. You build Ontario. And that is the ultimate manifestation of getting it done. Together, we’re ensuring the tools of the trades, because Premier Ford and I know that we can’t do it without you, and I can tell you for a fact, we never want to. Thank you, and God bless the people of Ontario. Thank you for being here today.
Jenna Donelson
Thank you, Minister Piccini, for that rousing speech, for sharing your vision, and thank you for your dedication to making sure that our workforce in Ontario provides diversity of opportunity for everyone. It is now my honour to introduce the dynamic Pinball Clements. Pinball has always been a champion on the football field, and in the community. His foundation has transformed the lives of countless marginalized and racialized young people, by giving them the tools and opportunities that they need to succeed. And as a bonus, his former team, the Toronto Argonauts, just celebrated a Grey Cup victory. Please join me in welcoming to the stage, the legendary Pinball Clements.
Michael “Pinball” Clemons, General Manager, Toronto Argonauts; Founder, The Pinball Foundation
All right. Thank you so much. All right. Well, good day everyone. How are we doing? I said good day everyone. How are we doing? All right. I love it, I love it, I love it. Love the energy. I do want to say that you’re impressive. Job well done. Really enjoyed the tempo of the day, as well. And before I get going too far, I really want to send an acknowledgement out. The trades have been transcendent, for the work that we do. And some years ago, a gentleman, who is sitting at the head table—who won’t allow me to say his name, but I’m going to say it anyway—James St. John. He’s the one who introduced me to Minister Piccini. And I just want to give a great shout out to him, because he is one of the people in this great group of people, who are doing that tremendous work, that involves making sure that young people have a chance to not only go to school, right? But actually to become a professional, right? Get a job, right? Become employed, and gainfully work in our communities, and build our communities. And so, with that, I want to say thank you to both of you gentlemen. So, would you give them both a huge round of applause for them? There’s a saying, “Well done is better than well said.” So, congratulations. I’m the talker up here; you’re the doer, okay? All right? So, we thank you so much for that.
I want to maybe just, before I get into the questions, there’s a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, that reminds me of you and your person. He said, “The concepts of love and power have been contrasted as polar opposites in our society. In order to exercise love, we must resign ourselves of power, and vice versa.” He said, “But love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power without love is reckless and abusive. Indeed, power at its best, is love; the two are synonymous.” I have the emotion, because I’ve had the great pleasure of seeing, literally, literally, thousands of young people transition to employment. And that really is indescribable. The value, the person that it builds, the communities that they build, the families that are enriched, are numerous and powerful. That’s why I’m really pleased to sit here beside you, because that’s what you do.
The Hon. David Piccini
Thank you.
Pinball Clemons
I should get on, because you probably know, if I get comfortable, I can talk. I want to say, you’ve been labour minister now for over a year, and you’re an energetic guy yourself, right?
The Hon. David Piccini
I’m just glad I spoke before you.
Pinball Clemons
What drives you?
The Hon. David Piccini
It’s a good question. What drives me, I love to learn. And I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up, but I can tell you, every day, I learn. So, what drives me, to its core, is really, I’m a big believer in storytelling, and just the stories. I feed off of others’ energy. And so, let’s just zero in on our friend James St. John, for a moment, with the Hammerheads Youth Program. Seeing that graduating class, seeing that young man come up to me and say it was two ways: a way that would have taken me through the revolving door of justice, or the dignity of the job, and a sense—the first person in my family to have a career, to get out of the neighbourhood where I grew up, to buy a home. The stories, the first night, when I became minister, Alisen Bowman, her husband Craig, was in hospice, just months prior; he passed, but she told me, he hung on. Now, we often talk about heroes, and serving our communities. But at its core, Craig was a husband, that wanted to know that his family would be looked after, and protected. And that was, these stories, literally form the pen that writes the legislation that we introduce. So, from Craig’s case, we reduced the latency period—simply put, it just means his family will be protected through WSIB, thanks to the changes we’ve made. And it’s about more than that. It’s about prevention, investing in prevention downstream. So, with our Chief Prevention Officer, Dr. Moody, who’s here today, we’re now making those investments. But for me, it’s the stories. It’s the stories of that young man or woman, who are entering the trade, and seeing in their eyes the sense of self-worth and purpose, the work we’re doing, unemployment service transformation, which is remarkable. And stories like Craig, who leaves the lasting legacy. That’s what motivates me.
Pinball Clemons
One of the things I love about you is you’re not just doing it, right? It’s something that you, you truly value people, right? And that is evident in the work that you do. So, you’re not just doing it physically, right? It is something that is important to you. So, given that, and given the declining productivity we’ve experienced across our country in recent years—Ontario is building, it’s moving. But what are some of the government programs that are really thriving, that you’re seeing production from?
The Hon. David Piccini
Well, there’s so much going on in our ministry. I lament the fact that I can’t touch on it all, but I think a few things. One, employment service transformation. We recognize that a system that ultimately leads back to the state dependency I talked about, is not a system that works. So, we led a big transformation of our employment services. And I see many of the people on the front lines of that here. So, thank you for what you do, for employment services transformation, that are helping people get a job, and actually creating a system that incentivizes outcomes. So, the harder-to-place people, perhaps the young man that was in an encampment in my community—and this is the first time rural Ontario has seen an encampment—who is now incentivized to get him out of that situation, job training, and today holds employment. To our friends at Oaks Revitalization, who are here today, taking someone, you know, we know when you’re in the system, you’re far more likely to reoffend. They’re taking people out of that, investing in them, giving them the skills for success. And a conversation I had with someone, we were talking 10 minutes, and he was from my community, and I thought to myself, I know everyone in my community. How have I never met him? Well I hadn’t met him because he was in Lindsay Penitentiary. That’s why. But today, he earns six figures, and is working with our friends, Brothers and Sisters, with LiUNA. Like, that’s incredible.
Pinball Clemons
Woo!
The Hon. David Piccini
So, through employment service transformation, through our Skills Development Fund, we’re investing in Skills Development Fund that’s employer driven. That’s how we’re doing it.
Pinball Clemons
All right. Excellent, excellent. Good, good, good. We hear you often say, working for workers. What does that mean?
The Hon. David Piccini
Yeah, that’s a good question. I think working for workers, again, back to those stories, it’s about taking the stories from everyday workers, and trying to really be laser-focused on taking the stories that sew together the fabric of our province, and have them reflected in legislation. So, again, you know, a big thing that Premier Ford deserves a great amount of credit for, are these relationships with organised labour, with employers, that three legged stool I talked about, that forms a foundation of a strong economy. Government, labour, employers together, working together. And so, for me, to work for them means seeing their stories reflected in legislation.
And I think it also means working for those workers that have historically been underemployed. I touched on that. How often do many of you hop in an Uber, or a cab, just to find out that the driver has an engineering degree, or is a healthcare professional? You know, I didn’t get a chance to really take a deep dive, but we’ve forced regulatory bodies—had they been able to do it alone, it would have been done. But a little tension is good, to help have a plan in place, to recognize credentials. Where credentials are missing a piece of paper, have an alternative pathway or method. Ensure a timeline for assessment. Our practice-ready assessments have helped thousands of nurses, internationally-trained, enter the front lines of our healthcare workforce today. And so, for me, ensuring we have a fund, to back that training. Micro-credentials. I mean, who has the ability now, to take four years off work? So, earn while you learn. You heard Marc talk about that. That is the new way Ontario will succeed.
And when the Bank of Canada talks about our declining productivity, investing in skills training is one of the big things to reverse that. Tools and machinery, you heard about steps we’re taking to give people tools. Investing in machinery at every one of your training centres I visit, you point out equipment that we funded, our government. So, that’s what it means, I think, to work for workers. Ensure they’re nimble, ensure quick training, rapid training, to help build a more resilient workforce that can stand the test of inflation, and ensure we’re positioning Ontario not just for today, but for tomorrow’s generation.
Pinball Clemons
That’s awesome. I’m sure that there are some questions from the crowd, and so, we’re going to take those questions. I’ve got two more, that I’m going to ask. And I’m not exactly sure how we’re going to do that. So, that’s a little bit of a shout out. So, just a little prep point. I think it’s going to come on this device. And because—yeah, so, you understand, I’m a football player, right? Yeah. So, I’m going to ask the next two questions, and at some point, someone is going to give me just a little bit of help in figuring out how we work this technology. Okay. So, you, man—isn’t he handsome? All right. All right. We’ve heard about the recent initiatives.
The Hon. David Piccini
Yes.
Pinball Clemons
Good, sir. What’s next?
The Hon. David Piccini
That’s a good question. For me, you know, I think that as we look to the future, we look to where the puck is going—Wayne Gretzky famously said, you know, “Skate where the puck is going.” I think for me, skating where the puck is going means ensuring we turn the tides of productivity. For me, it’s rolling out, skills development, the capital piece, is just in its infancy. I want to see more rapid training initiatives around Ontario. I want to really instill that concept of earn while you learn, so that everybody understands it in every corner of Ontario. So, that that small business, that is within the supply chain of our automotive sector, understands and is incentivized to take on that new apprentice. I visit these small businesses, and navigating the forms—would you believe that registering for an exam and an apprenticeship today, you can’t do it online. You have to call, you have to call a number. This is archaic. Like, this is literally what we inherited. And so, we’re changing that, digitizing our system, earn while you learn, micro-credentials that can stack into degrees. That is where the puck is going, in Ontario. We’ve got a fund that has seen that, and that is making the investments to support that, so that we can have the best workers. Because as I said, I’ll put a bet on our workers in Ontario any day. We have the best workforce.
And I like the fact that we have the difficult discussions on how we extract minerals responsibly. But we cannot let delay be the enemy of prosperity and success. I like the fact that we’re bringing more women into the trades, and taking steps to bring more underrepresented groups.
Pinball Clemons
Yes, yes. You can continue. I didn’t mean to interrupt that. Yes.
The Hon. David Piccini
So, that’s I think where we’re going, that really rapid training, that really helps Ontarians earn while they learn throughout lifelong education for everybody, regardless of where you’re at. Whether you’re building, or whether you’re performing open-heart surgery.
Pinball Clemons
What is the number one thing that you hear every day from people walking around, or—what is that number one thing, and what have you done about it?
The Hon. David Piccini
So, number one, without question, is affordability. Affordability is the number one thing we hear, through my community. I mean, to have a constituent tell me this past weekend, after our acclamation meeting, to have the constituent tell me, to the cent, they’ve quantified dinner out at McDonald’s with their family, four kids. That to me, affordability, that is just a small story of the stories I hear at the doors. And I don’t believe one can tax their way to prosperity. We’ve never raised the tax, and we never will. And I think that’s important, to create that competitive climate. Just think, Bloomberg said that we were going to get zero automotive investments. Today, guess what men and women in the trades take home, on a weekly basis? 14 million in payroll, on a week, per week. 14 million. And just think, we were scheduled to get zero of that. Zero of zero is still zero. And so, creating a competitive climate, low taxation to attract investment, having the rapid skills training, to make those investments, and actually building. Building. We can’t normalize a 10-year construction process, in the province of Ontario.
So, for me, tackling affordability means getting shovels and ground. It means having those difficult conversations. A permitting timeline can’t be a merry-go-round; it can’t be a Where’s Waldo at a municipality, just to find the right person, to get a shovel in the ground. We have to do better. And that’s where we all have to work together. Have those uncomfortable conversations. Challenge us. Premier Ford will be the first to tell you, we’re open. We’ll change things, if it’s not working. I really like that about our government, is that we are willing to have those conversations, to constantly change things to address the biggest problem we hear, which is affordability.
QUESTION & ANSWER
Pinball Clemons
Wow. Wow. Would you give him a general round of applause? Now, I can read, but my next birthday starts with a six. And so, I’m not exactly sure I can see. So, we’re going to try this. While more young people are considering a career in the trades, many parents still have a stigma against the trades. How are you breaking that stigma, and promoting the skilled trades?
The Hon. David Piccini
Excellent question. Well, I think I’m looking forward to seeing a marketing campaign from Skilled Trades Ontario. I love to see what Skills Ontario is doing. And we’re breaking down barriers. I mean, regardless of where you’re from. I mean, so many, especially—not to stereotype, but those who’ve immigrated, we often hear the stories, you know, I wish you’d be a doctor, be a doctor, be a nurse. And I think, you can earn six figures, I mean, to think people tunneling on the Ontario Line today are taking home, six figures is an understatement to some of the salaries that I hear, on those doing the tunneling work on the Ontario Line, the largest low-carbon public transit project in North America today, happening right here. So, to tackle the stigma, one, you actually have to talk about the earning potential. Two, “To be me, you have to see me,” that’s what Natasha Ferguson said, who leads A Women’s Work, who tells stories, coming from Jamaica, that when she visited job sites, people would give her a coffee order, and then she’d say, “Uh-uh, I’m the boss. I run this company.” And so, she’s an inspiration to me. See me, to be me. You, when I hear you speak to Hammerheads, to the young boys or girls.
And you know—I’ll be a little controversial, here—I said once, in a school, you know, everyone gets a gold star for putting their pants on in the morning. And the teacher said to me, not everyone wears pants. And I said, you really missed the point of what I was trying to say. And what you’ve instilled, seeing you, the discipline, the self-worth one feels, by getting that acknowledgement of their potential, in that certificate. Not a bigger handout from government, but a leg up. And that’s what you’re doing. And you stood before those young men, and you treated them as an equal, and you challenged them, challenged them to be better. And they’re better off for it. That program, I was privileged to be at that graduation. And I’m really, really excited about where we’re going with these SDF programs.
Pinball Clemons
Thank you. If what you did yesterday still sounds good to you today, then you haven’t done much today. So, what we’re to do is still ahead of us, right?
The Hon. David Piccini
Exactly.
Pinball Clemons
All right. So, next question. Here we go. You’re proposing changes to the OINP, but the federal government, ultimately, controls the immigration system. What do you want to see from the federal government, to restore the trust in our immigration system?
The Hon. David Piccini
Yea. For those who don’t know, OINP stands for Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. We only control about five to seven percent, and we can expedite those people to find permanent residency. And look, many of you who are here today and in front lines of employment service transformation, or those of you who work, perhaps, for the City, know that the failures of our immigration system are demonstrated and best exemplified through the stories I hear, that 70 percent of our shelter capacity is asylum seekers. And I refuse to believe, you know, without question, they have to address that system. They are best positioned to do that. And they are taking steps to do that today. But the best we can offer can’t just be to put people in a hotel, create a cycle of state dependency, and then have a binary debate that is exemplified by just the more dollars we throw at it is a success. So, for me, what we want to see is a meaningful discussion around, you know, securing our borders, so that three percent of cars that are inspected, we actually take a look at that, the fentanyl that is destroying communities. The encampment, it grips, there’s a nasty grip on the encampment, in my own community of Coburg. But those are predominantly federal levers. For us, it’s investing in the labour market transfer agreement.
I hate to say this, but you all need to know a lot of our organizations, because we partner. It’s a good thing. Jean Chrétien, in the early 90’s, recognized that provinces are best, to determine labour market planning. And today, we compete against one another. And it shouldn’t be that way. We should work together. Our Labour Market Transfer Agreement was cut. And so, that limits our ability to help people. But I’m excited. I’m excited on the credential recognition work that we’re doing. I’m excited that, in our last Working for Workers, we expedited doctors who in, you know, our primary care clinicians, are small business owners. Yet they weren’t incentivized, in our Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. We made the change. We listened to the feedback. And we’re expediting family practitioners, into our province. For the nurses that I met, when I was in Vaughan with our MPP Lecce there, Filipino nurses, who are now working on the front lines. We’re working with the regulatory body, to streamline that credential recognition, to get people to realize their full earning potential. And that’s where we’re laser focused on, with our five to seven percent.
Pinball Clemons
Well, please, I apologize that our time has wrapped up, here. But I’d like you to do me a favour. When you go home tonight, whether it’s husband or wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, your kids, hug everybody in your home tonight, when you go home, right? If there’s a little strife, that might actually decrease it a little bit. But do me a favour. When you go home this evening, hug everybody in your home. Okay. Thank you so much, and I really appreciate it. Our star is here to close today.
The Hon. David Piccini
Thank you so much.
Jenna Donelson
Thank you, Minister, and Pinball, for taking us a little deeper there. Well, you’re still good on your feet. Well done. These insights are a timely reminder of the importance of building a workforce that can tackle the challenges and opportunities ahead. And someone who thinks about this a lot, is working to do this very thing, is Victoria Mancinelli, Director of PR and Communications and Strategic Partnerships at LiUNA. She’s a longtime friend of the Empire Club. I’m delighted to welcome her to stage, to deliver the appreciation remarks. Welcome.
Note of Appreciation by Victoria Mancinelli, Director, PR, Communications & Strategic Partnerships, LiUNA
Good afternoon, everyone. That’s quite a tough act to follow. Pleasure to be with you, on behalf of LiUNA, our LiUNA Locals, who are here today, and most importantly, on behalf of over 100,000 skilled workers that we represent, who build our province. With over 86,000 skilled workers set to retire by 2030, we have to be proactive, in how we are attracting and retaining talent, to meet growing infrastructure demands for today, and for our future. Understanding that our province cannot succeed without a skilled, safe, and reliable workforce. The historic investments we are seeing by the Ford government and Minister Piccini don’t just happen by chance. It is a testament to what we can achieve when labour, industry, and government, come together to empower opportunity, and prioritize policy that impacts the safety and well-being of Ontario’s workforce, most recently reflected in Working For Workers Six.
You heard the minister speak about the Skills Development Fund, 1.4 billion dollars in skills funding, including capital for training centres. Of course, this is going to have a direct impact on job creation and spurring economic development across Ontario, and throughout our country. But it extends much further than this. It is a direct investment in people, and the potential to change, and save someone’s life. It is about investing in second chances for youth, and marginalized communities—and we have our partners here with us today, from Oaks Revitalization, and Building Up, who do tremendous work supported by SDF, including training, outreach, and mentorship programs, understanding that it is imperative to the strength, function, and growth of our province. Investing in trade pathways for Canada’s veterans, who serve our country, and are now part of building its future. It’s about investing in women, something that I’m very passionate about. Today, a 30% increase in apprenticeship registrations, matched by legislation to strengthen retention, including family care, to PPE, sanitization on site, and policy that addresses harassment, and fosters a stronger sense of belonging.
Minister, you’re always the first person to translate advocacy into action, and if you speak to him about any barrier or issue that you may be facing in the industry, he never settles for the status quo. He’s always the first to say, how do we get it done, what can we do together, and let’s move forward. You’ve heard me say it before, and I will say it again: this is the most dedicated government, in the history of Ontario, to advancing skilled trades and apprenticeship pathways. So, Minister, on behalf of LiUNA, and all of us here today, we thank you for the time and for your leadership, and we look forward to working with you past the next election, and many years to come. Thank you.
Concluding Remarks by Jenna Donelson
Thank you, Victoria, for those great remarks, and once again, thanks to LiUNA, for your ongoing support of the Empire Club. To everyone who joined us today, both here in person and those of you online, thank you for joining this important conversation. And again, a special thanks to our sponsors, whose support drives these events forward for the Empire Club, so please join me in thanking them one more time. I’d also like to recognize the students and young leaders we have in the room—Central Technical School, Humber Polytechnic, I see you up there. We are glad you’re here. Thank you for being a part of dialogue that matters.
To stay connected, please subscribe to our newsletter, by scanning the QR code on your tables. We hope you’ll join us at our next events. We have two events left ,to round out our fall. First, on December 10th, the Empire Club is proudly presenting a panel conversation focused on “Indigenous Partnerships, a New Way Forward, to Unlock Canadian Infrastructure.” This expert panel discussion will focus on the impact of Indigenous partnerships on Indigenous communities, and Canadian infrastructure. And on December 17th, continuing our Fall Energy Series, we have Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta, and Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, coming together for a timely conversation on the energy trilemma: sustainability, affordability, and reliability. You will not want to miss these two events. And I am also pleased to announce that in January, we will be celebrating our 2024 Nation Builder Award, and happy to announce that the recipient will be Prem Watsa. And so, we are delighted, and hope that you will join us on that event, too, in the new year.
As a club of record, all Empire Club events are available to watch and listen to on our website, and a recording of this event will be available shortly. Thank you all for joining us today. I wish you a wonderful afternoon ahead. This meeting is now adjourned.
