Tag: Canada

Home>News>Canada

On June 4, 2024, an op-ed by Chris Paswisty, former director of Canadian Affairs at SMART, and Krista Wylie, co-founder of Fix Our Schools, was published in the Edmonton Journal. The article discussed the severe air quality issues in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba as a result of wildfires, particularly in schools, and is republished below.

As the world marks another Clean Air Day, it is incumbent on policymakers across Canada to ensure clean air, both inside and out, is a reality. Last year, on Clean Air Day, wildfires led Canada to record the worst air quality in the world. And already this spring, British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba are witnessing some of the worst air quality levels on record.

Exacerbated by climate change effects, the increased prevalence of wildfires has resulted in prolonged periods of poor air quality across the country. This is causing a new public health crisis to emerge, and it is impacting our most vulnerable population, our children.

Wildfire smoke significantly deteriorates air quality, leading to increased respiratory illnesses, asthma and other health complications. Particulate matter in wildfire smoke can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing immediate and long-term health impacts, particularly in children whose respiratory systems are still developing.

Although many provinces, including Ontario, B.C. and Alberta, have made commendable investments in HEPA filters for schools since 2020, this must be part of a broader, more comprehensive strategy for schools across the country. This measure alone is insufficient to protect our children against harmful pollutants as many school buildings still rely on outdated ventilation infrastructure, open windows, or use fans that are circulating dirty, unfiltered air.

As Canada continues to grapple with the escalating frequency and intensity of wildfires, the current infrastructure is just not advanced enough for the challenges posed by today’s environmental conditions. Upgrading these systems to meet modern standards is a must — particularly as children spend an average of 120 hours a month in school.

In 2022–23, air quality monitoring was conducted in New Brunswick schools, and it was found that 83% of the schools accessed exceeded peak CO2 limits, among other pollutants. Continuous air quality monitoring is crucial to install the proper equipment.

To safeguard the health of our children, Canada must implement regulations to monitor, measure and report air quality levels in schools across the country. Once results are available, decisions can be made on additional funding for necessary infrastructure, such as air ventilation and filtration systems, to ensure children are not at risk while attending classes.

The last time the Ontario provincial government released school disrepair data was in June 2021. At that time, the school repair backlog stood at a whopping $16.8 billion. Fix Our Schools, a parent advocacy group in Ontario, estimates that this repair backlog has continued to grow year-over-year, with the figure likely being well over $17 billion by now.

Fix Our Schools points out that this total repair backlog number does not include much-needed improvements, such as equipment to monitor air quality, and other investments required to improve air quality in classrooms. The time to act is now.

As NDP MPP Chandra Pasma rightly emphasized when introducing the Air Quality for Our Children Act, strong air quality in schools has been shown to improve overall health, reduce the spread of airborne infections and boost children’s test scores.

Increasing wildfires across Canada serve as a stark reminder that new legislation and funding is required to ensure all children have access to a clean and safe learning environment for years to come.

I remain, fraternally yours, 

Chris Paswisty
Director of Canadian Affairs

Sisters, brothers and friends across Canada,

On behalf of myself, the SMART General Executive Council and all your brothers and sisters across this union, I want to wish you a happy Thanksgiving.

Today is a day to gather with loved ones and enjoy precious time with family and friends. As the essential workers who build the HVAC systems, roofs and building envelopes that keep Canadian society moving, we know well just how valuable these precious moments are.

It’s also a day to take stock of the things for which we are grateful. Our union is full of people from a wide variety of backgrounds, with our own belief systems and practices, and we all have unique traditions that we celebrate. But today, no matter what you choose to do, I hope you can remember the things we have in common.

Union members nationwide know that days like today — and the ability to spend them with loved ones — are rights that were fought for, tooth and nail. It was our forebearers’ undying solidarity and resolve that won these and other privileges for today’s Canadians. Each of us should be proud to be part of a collective labour movement that has bettered the lives of working-class people across every province and territory; I hope you all wear the title of trade unionist proudly, today and every day.

Brothers and sisters, it is our solidarity with one another that keeps our union strong. And by working together, we will continue to improve the lives of workers across Canada.

Again, happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the holiday, and please stay safe.

Brothers and sisters,

In March, Canadian staff gathered at the Hilton Toronto to participate in the SMART MAP (Members Assistance Program) training. The Canadian Pension and Benet Steering Committee worked with the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) to organize the SMART MAP class for Canada, which was held on March 26–28, 2024. The class had a tremendous turnout, with over 50 participants including business managers, financial secretary-treasurers, business representatives, organizers, training instructors and office staff from across Canada.

The training focused on providing staff with tools and strategies to help support members who may be experiencing addiction and/or mental health concerns. The training was well received, and attendees emphasized a desire for more education and training. A big thank you to Chris Carlough, director of wellness and mental health support, and the team from SMOHIT for providing real-life experiences so we can better assist our members in their time of need.

Canadian Council of Sheet Metal Workers & Roofers Convention

In May, the Canadian Council met in Saint John, New Brunswick, and elections were held. Congratulations to President Jason Pedersen (Local 276, Victoria), Vice President George McDonald (Local 56, Nova Scotia), Recording Secretary-Treasurer Mark Hall (Ontario Conference), and Members at Large TJ King (Local 297, West), Gerald Murphy (Local 512, East) and Bob Gougeon (Local 285, Ontario) on your elections.

Retirement recognition was given to Brother Art White, who dedicated many years of service to the members, his local and the council. We wish him all the best in his retirement. Brother Lawrence Coulis was recognized for his contributions, as he will not be standing for reelection at Local 562 (Kitchener, Ontario).

The SMART Steering Committee presented a variety of initiatives, including SMART MAP Canada and peer-to-peer programming, HearCANADA, a hearing aid program, SMART index funds for Canadian local investments, Hamilton Lane SMART Air and Energy Fund and the SMART Canada Life Insurance Program.

Showcasing our skills

This year’s sheet metal apprentice competition showcased the talents of 12 apprentices who were tasked with duplicating the World’s Largest Axe! Built in 1991 and rising 49 feet above the glorious Saint John River, this landmark is a gleaming symbol of the industrious lives and legacies of Canada’s lumberjacks. Congratulations to first-place and Congeniality Award winner Kevin Berkmortel of Local 473 (London), second-place winner Jamie Weir of Local 30 (Toronto), third-place winner Jacob Wiebe of Local 235 (Windsor) and fourth-place winner Colin Nam of Local 280 (Victoria, B.C.).

The roofing competition demonstrated the skill and technique of nine apprentices who were tasked with the practical application of two roofing techniques: single and two-ply. Congratulations to first-place winner Elias Taylor from Local 276 (Victoria), second-place winner Matthew Rector, Local 409 (Halifax) and third-place and Congeniality Award winner Liam Power, Local 437 (Saint John, New Brunswick).

Staff announcements

Brother Jack Wall, former business manager/financial secretary-treasurer of Local 56 and eighth general vice president, has been appointed International representative for Atlantic Canada, replacing retired International Representative Leonard Day. Brother Wall started his new position on January 1, 2024.

On May 1, 2024, Brother Patrick Gordon was appointed to the position of International representative for business development in Canada. This position will be key in leading nationwide campaigns with coalitions of International and local union staff, along with key partners in the architectural, roofing, HVAC and building envelope sectors. Emphasis will be placed on organizing, educating and promoting our trades to the public, our members and buyers of construction.

Raising our profile

SMART Canada has been working with a government relations firm, which has been paramount in establishing and creating networking opportunities with various MPs, MPPs and ministers. We have appeared before the Ontario Finance Committee to make recommendations for provincial oversight of compulsory certification of licensed trades, investing in the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA), consultations on jobsite working conditions and equitable access to Skills Development Fund Training Streams. Together, we have developed government relations priorities centered around consumer protection, skilled trades and long-term care facilities. We have authored consumer alerts, as well as stories on fraud prevention and air quality. As the wildfires continue to burn across our country, we will continue to raise the issue of indoor air quality.

I remain, fraternally yours, 

Chris Paswisty
Director of Canadian Affairs

Working families across North America continue to bear the brunt of the climate crisis, from extreme heat and natural disasters to poor air quality caused by wildfire smoke. The Canadian government is pursuing aspirational green economy goals in response — and SMART Canada is working to take advantage, organizing and recruiting to make sure the provinces’ sustainable future is union made.

“Transitioning Canada’s workforce to net-zero and ensuring our members receive the skills required to lead the change — without losing jobs — is critical to our economy,” said SMART Director of Canadian Affairs Chris Paswisty.

To that end, SMART Canada recently targeted potential recruits across the nation with a digital advertising campaign. Students and guidance counselors received a video introducing them to the skilled trades, with a link to SMART’s Canadian website providing information on how to get involved. The video proclaims: “This is OUR time, so think green, think clean, think SMART” — emphasizing that a new focus on green industries provides bountiful career opportunities.

“We see the worsening effects of climate change every year,” Paswisty added. “Taking action isn’t just about the future of our planet and the world we leave behind for the next generation. This is about providing for our members, both today and tomorrow.”

The Canadian government’s current goal is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, as a society, by the year 2050. Doing so will require a massive, nationwide effort — one that will rely largely on SMART’s skilled sheet metal workers and roofers. SMART Canada’s new apprenticeship web page underlines that fact, making clear that our green energy future will create plenty of jobs.

“Our sheet metal workers fabricate and install proper ventilation and air filtering systems, ensuring the overall health and energy efficiency of schools, offices, hospitals, factories, nuclear plants and homes,” said Paswisty. “Our architectural and roofing members play a crucial role in the building envelope, again helping structures operate efficiently, and they install green roofing that helps reduce greenhouse gases and improve air quality. Canada needs our members to complete the green transition.”

Union workers are being helped by political action. The Government of Canada’s 2023 federal budget featured a far-reaching focus on Canada’s green economy, including broadened investment in private-sector-led infrastructure, strong responses to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and much more. Perhaps most importantly, the budget tied green tax incentives to one of the strongest definitions of prevailing wage Canada has ever seen — one that incorporates union compensation, benefits and pension contributions, helping create good-paying union jobs as Canada transitions to sustainable energy.

In addition, Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) are taking steps to make sure today’s workers aren’t left behind. Funded by Employment and Social Development Canada’s Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) — which SMART Canada and the CBTU lobbied for extensively — CBTU’s “Building It Green” national training program aims to integrate climate literacy into already existing construction trades education and training, helping apprentices, journeypersons, inspectors and training instructors take on the pressing concerns of climate change. SMART Local 280 (Vancouver, B.C.) President and Training Coordinator Jud Martell helped develop the trade-specific curriculum for SMART members.

There’s no questioning the fact that the climate crisis is, in fact, a crisis, Paswisty added. But meeting the challenge head-on provides a way forward, both for our communities and for SMART members.

“We are ready to grow and meet the demand by welcoming Canadians into the skilled trades, and we will collaborate with the government to continue driving Canadians towards a career in the trades,” he concluded.

Brothers and sisters across Canada,

Happy Canada Day from myself and the SMART General Executive Council. Wherever you are today, in cities and towns across the provinces and territories, I hope you can take the time to relax with friends and family.

Canada Day commemorates the day of Canada’s Confederation in 1867. And since that day — even before it — unionists in the labour movement have been bravely organizing, striving to lift the working and living conditions of all Canadians.

Union sheet metal workers and roofers have been an integral part of the nation’s progress throughout its history. And today, SMART Canada members have just as vital a role to play, whether building the green-energy economy of our sustainable future or helping bring new members into our trades.

The Government of Canada has set its sights on achieving a net-zero-emissions society by 2050. It’s an ambitious and important goal, and it’s one that you — sheet metal workers and roofers — are going to make happen. Whether installing green roofs that help reduce carbon emissions or improving the energy efficiency of building envelopes in schools, office buildings and new housing, our members will be critical to the Canada of tomorrow.

We are already seeing the benefits of a worker-first green transition, such as the NextStar EV battery plant project in southwestern Ontario. I’m proud to say that SMART Canada is seizing on these opportunities to lift more families into the better life that we provide: recruiting new members, organizing nonunion workers and spreading the word far and wide about careers in our trades. As I mentioned earlier, Canada’s rich history is intertwined with the story of the union movement. Our bright future will be as well, and it is incumbent on all of us to be organizers; to help our fellow workers achieve the freedom and dignity of a union career, and to welcome every single person — no matter who they are — into our union.

Lastly, as you celebrate Canada Day with loved ones, I hope you’ll join me in honouring the generations of Canadians who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms and democracy.

Happy Canada Day. Enjoy the holiday, and please stay safe!

SMART MAP Coordinator Chris Carlough speaks at the sheet metal Safety Champions Conference.

SMART MAP (Member Assistance Program) mental health sessions have been evolving since they began more than a decade ago to combat the high suicide and substance use disorder rates among construction workers. Participants in the class become SMART MAP mentors as they learn to be mental health first responders — peer counselors able to lend a listening ear and guide fellow SMART members to local resources. 

The three-day sessions offer theoretical as well as practical knowledge and the basic skills necessary for crisis intervention. They also give participants information about substance abuse disorder and relapse, motivational interviewing, confidentiality and ethics, legal issues, marijuana, health insurance and treatment center options, suicide prevention, aftercare programs and how to change the culture of the union and help end the stigma of addiction and other mental health issues. 

While Canadian brothers and sisters have been included in SMART MAP sessions in the past, due to the pandemic, a session hadn’t made its way north since 2018. With some help from Patricia Pike, a Canadian-American dual citizen and CEO and founder CanAm Interventions, the SMART MAP session held in Toronto on March 26-28 provided a tailored presentation. 

“Since we’ve been doing education and training through SMART MAP the last 10 years or so, we’ve had Canadian members attend regular SMART MAP sessions,” said Chris Carlough, SMART MAP coordinator. “It’s not brand new, but the program we delivered this time was specifically designed for Canada.” 

The key to a successful SMART MAP mental health session is a group of participants willing to share their experiences and engage with the speakers. The March class was full of such attendees, with a long waitlist emerging within 18 hours of registration opening. Due to the need, the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) allowed 57 members to attend the course, nearly double the size of a normal session. 

Typically, having more than 25-30 participants takes away from the course’s intimacy and engagement. Not this time, said Jeff Bradley, SMOHIT program director. 

“It was like a bunch of buddies going out together and talking,” he said. “It was cool.” 

“We’ve had sessions before when you’re trying to pull out words, experiences, thoughts out of the attendees, but Canada wasn’t like that,” added Carlough. “It was a raucous event for three days.” 

SMART MAP mental health sessions are typically held for local leadership, and the SMART MAP team also presents a peer-to-peer session for rank-and-file members. In July, they will be back in Toronto to impart skills and mental health knowledge to members of Local 285. 

“We are doing peer training throughout North America, and we will be present in Canada in 2024,” Carlough said. 

The combination of mental health sessions for leadership and peer-to-peer trainings for rank-and-file members helps bring awareness of mental health and substance use disorder to the entire local, Carlough explained. 

“In the mental health trainings, we’re talking to people in the room directly,” he noted. “But we’re also talking about the people who they’re going to go back and help in their local unions.” 

The success of the session is measured by the knowledge and skills gained and how members use that knowledge to help one another. During the March Toronto session, members developed the confidence to talk about difficult subjects, see different perspectives on addiction, and understand the true definition of self care and useful statistics, according to post-event evaluations. 

“We can put this gained knowledge to use immediately,” one member said. 

Another added: “Everything covered during this session has been well worth it, and I want to thank the team for all the work you do and help that was given to me.” 

The Government of Canada has aspirational goals to achieve a net-zero society by 2050. To help reach those goals and move our national ambitions forward, the construction industry must lean into “Building It Green.” Buildings and construction have been identified as among the three primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2021, Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) launched a national project to integrate climate literacy into the skilled construction trades’ education and training. The new Building It Green program is Canada’s most comprehensive climate-focused construction curriculum. Funded by Employment and Social Development Canada’s Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP), Building It Green is a national training program to strengthen the construction industry’s ability to support journeypersons, apprentices and training instructors as they manage the emerging and pressing needs of climate change. Transitioning Canada’s workforce to net-zero and ensuring our members receive the skills required to lead the change — without losing jobs — is critical to our economy.

The project’s advisory committee includes affiliate members of the CBTU and national training directors from coast to coast. I would like to recognize and thank Training Coordinator and President of SMART Local 280 (Vancouver, B.C.) Jud Martell. Brother Martell is a member of the Sheet Metal Industry Training Board and provided his expertise and valuable input on the curriculum development for our trade-specific training.

On February 6, 2024, the program was officially launched at the IBEW Local 586 Training Centre in Ottawa, with Minister of Employment, Workplace Development, and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault present. A public webinar on Building It Green climate literacy training — by tradespeople, for tradespeople — was held on February 15. There were also workshops at the CBTU Legislative Conference in April for those who attended.

Ontario organizing blitz

Local 235 is in the southwestern portion of Ontario, servicing the Sarnia, Windsor and Chatham areas. The region is experiencing unprecedented work in all sectors, driven largely by the NextStar battery plant and the Gordie Howe Bridge projects.

The local is currently performing an organizing drive to sign up members for NextStar contractors that are providing building services installations, architectural panels, clean rooms and roof installation, along with numerous members working on the seven-plus buildings at the Gordie Howe Bridge site.

Over the span of five days, four organizers and two International representatives canvassed the Local 235 region. They spent one day canvassing the Sarnia area, three days in the Windsor and Tecumseh areas and the final day in Chatham, handing out pamphlets with QR codes that link to a SMART landing page. Simultaneously, a coordinated blitz was launched on Facebook and Instagram, advertising and promoting the same landing page and upcoming work opportunities.

The landing page analytics revealed a total of 52 submitted interest forms. Local 473 (London, Ontario) Organizer Patrick Gordon scheduled numerous in-person meetings, some leading to organizing campaigns with nonunion companies. Additionally, they compiled a list of close to 70 potential new members with various levels of experience.

From left to right: Bowen LaFave, Scott McQueen, Patrick Gordon, Craig Taylor, Tim Last and Carm Corsaro

Excellent job by Patrick Gordon setting up pinned locations of nonunion sites in the area so time was not wasted finding sites and workers. Outstanding job by the organizers involved: Tim Last of Local 537 (Hamilton, Ontario), Bowen LaFave of Local 30 (Toronto), Carm Corsaro of Local 285 (Toronto), Patrick Gordon and International Representatives Craig Taylor and Scott McQueen.

Recognition of dedication

On February 29, 2024, International Representative for Atlantic Canada Leonard Day retired. Brother Day joined Local 437 (Saint John, New Brunswick) in 1984 and became a journeyperson in 1986. He served in various roles in his local union, including trustee, vice president and business manager/financial secretary-treasurer from 2002–2014. He held numerous positions at the national level as president of the Eastern Conference, president of the Canadian Council of Sheet Metal Workers and Roofers, and on the Board of Trustees for the Local Union & Council Pension Plan.

In 2014, he was appointed by former General President Joseph Nigro as International representative and sat as a board member on both the General Presidents’ Maintenance Committee for Canada and the National Maintenance Council for Canada.

On behalf of all the members, thank you for your years of dedication and service, and may you enjoy a long and healthy retirement with your wife, Della, your family and especially the grandkids!

I remain, fraternally yours, 

Chris Paswisty
Director of Canadian Affairs

Brothers and sisters,

The North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) held their annual Tradeswomen Build Nations (TWBN) conference in Washington, DC, in early December. Over 4,000 sisters and allies were in attendance, forging the future of the construction industry. The conference provides opportunities for networking, learning and leadership development for all attendees, whether you are an apprentice or a journeyperson. Workshops and plenary sessions were facilitated by tradeswomen and featured union leaders, apprentice coordinators, contractors and politicians.

It was a fun-filled weekend packed with great information. The conference took to the streets for the banner parade to showcase the enthusiasm and opportunities for a career in the trades. I encourage all locals to send a delegation of sisters to the 2024 TWBN conference, which will be held in New Orleans. The weekend will leave you with a renewed sense of purpose and pride in the labour movement. Our SMART delegation has continued to grow over the years, so let’s keep the momentum going and aim to have more in attendance next year.

In November, the Federal Government tabled legislation to implement the Fall Economic Statement, which included labour requirements for Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) for green technologies contained within it. The ITCs will be available for investments in clean technology, clean electricity, clean hydrogen and carbon capture. To be eligible to receive the maximum ITC, employers must adhere to a definition of prevailing wage that is based on multiemployer collective agreements and have at least 10% of work hours be performed by apprentices.

SMART and the Canadian Building Trades have been advocating for years for this kind of prevailing wage language. We are hoping, with your support, that we can ensure the Government gets this legislation across the finish line and into law.

The theme of last year’s SMART Leadership Conference, held in August, was “This is Our Time” — and that sentiment couldn’t be truer. With wildfires burning across the country and health advisories being issued almost daily across North America, our skills are needed now more than ever. Fresh air and ventilation verification have never been more important. With news stories regarding ventilation issues in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, indoor air quality is front and centre. And in Ontario, the New Democratic Party has announced that it will be presenting a private members’ bill to improve indoor air safety.

Grassroots groups like Ontario School Safety are advocating for safer school environments in Canada, particularly improved air quality. While the initial focus was on COVID-19 protection, concerns have expanded to other respiratory threats, including the flu, respiratory syncytial virus and pollutants like wildfire smoke. Experts and parent groups emphasize the need for better ventilation and air filtration, suggesting schools consider upgrading to MERV 13 filters in their HVAC systems.

A memo from September 2023 by Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce stated the province’s requirement for a standalone HEPA filter in specific classrooms and areas without adequate mechanical ventilation or lacking MERV 13 filters. The province has dedicated over $665 million towards enhancing air quality in schools, implementing over 100,000 HEPA units, and has allocated an additional $30 million for the upcoming school year for higher-grade filters.

We must collectively use our expertise and meet with local, provincial and federal governments to ensure that our members’ skills are recognized and utilized in constructing healthy buildings and healthy homes.

Clean air concerns are not just limited to schools. This past summer, wildfires caused dangerously high levels of smoke and chemicals in communities across the country. Often, buildings like libraries, schools and malls are designated as cleaner air spaces for the public to find respite from wildfire smoke. With the increasing effects of climate change leading to more frequent wildfires, these safe havens are becoming even more essential. To address this, some towns, such as Renfrew, Ontario, have transformed public buildings into clean-air shelters equipped with strong air filtration systems to protect against harmful particles.

However, at present, clean-air shelters operate sporadically. There is an absence of provincially regulated alert systems, and no standardized method of informing the public about which shelters are operational. There’s a growing call among advocates for Canadian cities to introduce an automatic mechanism, activating all designated clean-air shelters (free of charge) if an area’s air quality remains in the “moderate” bracket for more than two consecutive days. In the face of the ongoing climate crisis, it’s vital for Canada to prioritize health-focused initiatives, starting from the federal tier and extending down to the provincial and municipal levels. We must collectively use our expertise and meet with local, provincial and federal governments to ensure that our members’ skills are recognized and utilized in constructing healthy buildings and healthy homes.

As we begin a new year, we must remember that this is our time. Our time to organize, our time to grow and our time to expand our contractor base. We must bring into our membership everyone that works in our trades. We must utilize all our tools to organize, and we need our membership involved by adopting the SMART Incentive Program. By having our members recruiting the next generation of workers, we will build our locals and set the standard for generations.

We have been growing momentum as we strive for a better Canada and a brighter future. Please continue to stay active, get involved and stay safe!

In Solidarity,

Chris Paswisty
Director of Canadian Affairs

From September 12–14, during the Ontario Sheet Metal Workers’ and Roofers’ Conference, apprentices from nine different local unions gathered in Peterborough, Ontario, for the 50th annual Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Apprenticeship Competition. The challenge? Building copper replicas of the iconic Peterborough Lift Lock.

“It’s a great opportunity to get some new skills and meet some new people, and it’s a lot of fun,” said Local 537 (Hamilton, Ontario) apprentice Mackenzie Johnston.

Along with the conference and apprenticeship competition, SMART Army Canada was out in force: Dozens of members took to the streets for a cleanup of the Otonabee River and nearby Millennium Park, helping preserve Canada’s natural beauty and public spaces for the local community.

APPRENTICESHIP COMPETITION WINNERS:

  • First place: Kevin Berkmortel, Local 473 (London, Ontario)
  • Second place: Jamie Weir, Local 30 (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Third place: Aaron Woolley, Local 397 (Thunder Bay, Ontario)
  • Fourth place: Jacob Wiebe, Local 235 (Windsor, Ontario)
  • Fifth place: Austin Ducedre, Local 235 (Windsor, Ontario)
  • Congeniality award: Antonio Iezzi, Local 30 (Toronto, Ontario)

SM Local 56 (Nova Scotia) roofer Alexis Lynk enjoys working with her hands. Even before she became a union roofer, she was no stranger to hands-on labor, serving customers and navigating hectic, fast-paced work situations in the service industry.

“I worked at McDonald’s for nine years,” Lynk said. “But I wasn’t making ends meet with the wages I had.”

The subpar pay led her to enroll in a trade apprenticeship through Women Unlimited, a program that introduces women to various trades via practical experience. Through that process, Lynk found her niche in roofing. And while the Women Unlimited program wasn’t her first encounter with the trades — her father was a tradesperson, and she dabbled in some trades work in high school — the mentorship and learning model cemented the union roofing industry as her new career path.

“When I come to work and I’m scared to do something, I have people to guide me,” Lynk explained. “They don’t just do it for me, they go through it with me step-by-step, so later I can do it on my own.”

Now, she is back at a McDonald’s — but this time as a roofer, working on top of the building rather than within it.

As the only female roofer on the jobsite, Lynk recalled feeling slightly nervous during her first days at work. She worried how people would perceive her skill set on the job. However, her nerves quickly abated as she found fellow brothers and sisters in the union roofing industry who supported her.

“A lot of the time, [even if] I don’t believe in myself, these people believe in me,” she said. Now, she is confident in her ability. The knowledge she learned through the apprenticeship program has given her skills to take on a variety of jobs, and as her confidence has grown, so has her feeling of belonging at the worksite. In five years, Lynk has no doubt she will be a Red Seal roofer. With her apprenticeship completed, the sky is truly the limit.

“When you say ‘yes’ to opportunities, pathways open and things are more accessible,” Lynk concluded. “I know it’s easy to say, ‘just jump in and do it.’ But if you put in yourself first, you’re going to go far.”