RESOLUTION #01-2026
BUILDING A WORLDCLASS APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM IN BC
WHEREAS: the federal and provincial governments have identified several target major projects in B.C. as part of their industrial strategy; and
WHEREAS: delivering these projects will take thousands of skilled trade workers and will require training providers to adapt quickly to meet industry needs; and
WHEREAS: BC Building Trades union training providers, working directly with signatory contractors and industry, are uniquely positioned to deliver the workforce B.C. needs; and
WHEREAS: in November, the provincial government announced a historic $241 million investment in trades training; and
WHEREAS: BC Building Trades schools deliver high-quality training and provide wrap-around services that support retention and the highest Red Seal completion rates in the province, producing a highly skilled workforce that is ready to meet the needs of industry;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the BC Building Trades advocate that SkilledTradesBC dedicate funding to union non-profit training providers; and
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the BC Building Trades advocate that this dedicated funding include funds to raise per seat student funding and to support training initiatives
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the BC Building Trades continue to vigorously advocate for increased funding to SkilledTradesBC to properly enforce skilled trades certification.
SUBMITTED BY: UA 170
RESOLUTION #02-2026
CONSTRUCTION TREATMENT CENTRE
WHEREAS: workers in construction are disproportionately affected by the toxic drug crisis, mental health challenges, and substance misuse; and
WHEREAS: one in five people who die from toxic drugs in B.C. is connected to the construction industry; and
WHEREAS: the unique structure of the construction industry – high mobility as workers move from project to project and employer to employer over the course of a career, camp work, and high levels of jobsite safety requirements - make tackling substance use, mental health conditions, and addiction an equally unique challenge in the industry; and
WHEREAS: the Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan was founded nearly 45 years ago and has been providing
high quality substance use and mental health services which today include individual counselling, family services, an opioid-free pain service, and day programs; and
WHEREAS: the Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan is working to expand its services to directly own and operate the first-ever construction-specific bed-based treatment facility;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the BC Building Trades will continue to advocate for the provincial government to provide funding to the Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan to build a bed-based treatment facility for construction workers.
SUBMITTED BY: Insulators 118
RESOLUTION #03-2026
SHIPBUILDING
WHEREAS: there is a proud history of shipbuilding in B.C.; and
WHEREAS: B.C.’s shipyards are world-class and our shipbuilders have the experience, skills, and capacity to build the vessels that our province, industry and our country need; and
WHEREAS: British Columbian workers were ready and eager to build BC Ferries’ next major vessels at home; and
WHEREAS: BC Ferries’ low-bid procurement process instead awarded the contract for the next four New Major Vessels
to a foreign shipyard in a country with low employment standards, low wages, low environmental standards, and low safety standards, and has cost BC workers and shipyards thousands of jobs; and
WHEREAS: a robust shipbuilding and marine industry requires government to prioritize domestic procurement,
invest in trades training and mariner education, and to support expansion of BC’s shipyards;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the BC Building Trades call on government to build ferries in Canada and prioritize British Columbian shipyards; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the BC Building Trades advocate for further investment in BC
shipbuilding and marine industries by expanding current shipyard capacity, promoting local shipbreaking, and
by investing in skilled trades training.
SUBMITTED BY: IBEW Provincial Council
[Locals 213, 230, 993 & 1003]
RESOLUTION #04-2026
TACKLING THE UNDERGROUND ECONOMY
WHEREAS: unscrupulous companies are operating outside of Employment Standards and Income Tax law by
misclassifying their workers as “independent contractors”; and
WHEREAS: workers who are misclassified are denied entitlements like holiday and overtime pay, paid sick days,
coverage under EI and CPP, and proper WorkSafeBC coverage; and
WHEREAS: companies that properly classify their workers as employees are being undercut and are losing
out on work; and
WHEREAS: jobs for members of the BC Building Trades are impacted; and
WHEREAS: without investigation and enforcement, misclassification of workers will continue unfettered;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the BC Building Trades continue to advocate for the provincial and federal
governments to re-establish Joint Compliance Teams to investigate construction worksites and enforce the laws.
SUBMITTED BY: DC 38
RESOLUTION #05-2026
BETTER SANITATION
WHEREAS: BC Building Trades worked tirelessly for years to achieve cleaner sanitation for all construction projects.
WHEREAS: we achieved new legislation through BC’s Workers Compensation system covering flush toilets and running water for all projects with more than 25 people onsite.
WHEREAS: we have seen a slow adoption of cleaner sanitation within the construction industry, and the use of
Porta-potties continued.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the IBEW-BC moves the BC Building Trades to lobby all BC Municipal Governments to place better sanitation conditions in all construction project permits with an anticipated complement of 25 or more workers at any time during the construction phase.
SUBMITTED BY: IBEW BC PROVINCIAL COUNCIL
[Locals 213, 230, 993 & 1003]
RESOLUTION #06-2026
AEDS ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT BC
WHEREAS: An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable, easy-to-use medical device that analyzes a person’s heart rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest.
WHEREAS: AEDs are designed to provide lay-people simple easy to understand directions, and are crucial in saving
people’s lives.
WHEREAS: these life-saving tools are normally found in offices, schools and hospitals, but not widely stored on
construction job sites.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the BC Building Trades and its affiliates lobby all levels of government to ensure construction job sites have ready to use onsite AED’s available in the event of sudden cardiac arrest.
SUBMITTED BY: IBEW BC PROVINCIAL COUNCIL & BAC2BC
[Locals 213, 230, 993 & 1003 and BAC Local 2]