Green Initiatives
Sheet Metal ERT
Our Environmental Training Project promotes environmental stewardship by training apprentices to reduce, reuse, and recycle sheet metal.
In the first year of this three-year project, we accomplished the following:
• incorporated “reduce, reuse and recycle” strategies/shop projects into training curriculum with intent to reduce consumption of sheet metal materials
• engaged Skill Plan as project partner to provide access to SMWTCS instructors and students to their Building it Green online selfdirected foundational course
• purchased sheet metal consumables for participant use
• identified recycling partners (e.g. North Delta Secondary School – donated 800 lbs of scrap metal)
• supported recruitment of equity-deserving groups (women, newcomers, Indigenous People) through various partnerships (Squamish Nation, PICS TradeBuilders Program, Skill Ready. Etc.)
Canada’s Building Trades Unions Building It Green initiative
The Building It Green program is a national climate literacy initiative launched in 2021 by Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU), funded by Employment and Social Development Canada’s Union Training and Innovation Program.
Developed by tradespeople for tradespeople, it equips apprentices, journeypersons, and instructors with the knowledge to integrate sustainable practices into construction work. The program offers a free 2.5-hour online Foundations Course and in-person trainthe- trainer workshops, available through over 200 union training centres nationwide.
Collaborating with partners like SkillPlan and the Climate Industry Research Team, Building It Green aims to prepare the skilled trades workforce for Canada’s transition to a net-zero future. Although the project wraps up this fall, CBTU has been awarded another UTIP project to continue green initiatives.
National UTIP Grant
In March 2025, SMART Canada and Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) secured a significant national grant through the Government of Canada’s Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP), specifically under the Sustainable Jobs Stream. This initiative is part of a broader $67 million investment aimed at preparing skilled trades workers for Canada’s transition to a clean economy.
SMART Canada was allocated up to $8.9 million of this funding to enhance training for over 2,000 members. The grant supports the development of a national online training curriculum, providing sheet metal workers across the country with accessible, always-on training to develop crucial skills for clean energy projects.
This partnership between SMART Canada and CBTU exemplifies a commitment to equipping tradespeople with the necessary skills to lead in sustainable construction and energy sectors, aligning with Canada’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The announcement took place at Local 47’s training centre in Ottawa — watch it in the link below:
Ottawa Announces $67M Investment in Green Skills Training – March 18, 2025
