Thank you.

On behalf of the International Union of Operating Engineers, I'm pleased to be speaking on Bill C-5. Our members build and maintain Canada's infrastructure. They help construct our nation's hydro dams, mines, nuclear plants, solar farms, wind turbines and pipelines. In short, we build it all.

Recently, our members have worked on the TMX, LNG Canada, Line 3, Churchill Falls, Bruce, the Darlington SMR, Site C and the Coastal GasLink.

Labour mobility is an essential part of building a stronger and more integrated economy, but it must not come at the cost of safety or the quality or value of skilled trades. Recognizing credentials across jurisdictions only works if standards are aligned and enforced. If we begin to recognize training and certifications that do not meet the same high standards, we risk a race to the bottom, so we must expand and promote the Red Seal trades. The credentials of a worker in one jurisdiction should be transferable to another only if the training and testing are equivalent in both scope and quality.

Bill C-5 must ensure that only the highest standards of skills and training are recognized when workers travel between provinces and territories. We support Bill C-5's goal of speeding up project delivery, but let's be clear: Faster is good only if the benefit flows to Canadians. If these changes make it easier for companies to bring in foreign labour or bypass Canadian suppliers, the result will be fewer good jobs and lost opportunities for the people who live here. This is not the way to build a stronger economy. Bill C-5 should be amended to include protection for Canadian jobs, safety and standards.

There is also the potential for Bill C-5, if amended, to open the door to meaningful careers in the skilled trades. There is a real opportunity to engage youth, women, indigenous people and other under-represented communities who are often overlooked or discouraged from entering the trades. That needs to change. With the right investment and supports, this legislation can help a new generation of workers access stable, well-paying careers in the skilled trades.

To try to build an inclusive workforce, the federal government needs to include a requirement that all projects in the national interest, as outlined in Bill C-5, be subject to community benefit agreements or project labour agreements, especially if funded with federal dollars. British Columbia has already shown how this can work.

The B.C. infrastructure benefit model ensured that large-scale public projects prioritized local hiring, provided apprenticeship opportunities and included equity targets for indigenous people, women and others who were often left out of major builds. While the percentages of indigenous and female participants in construction in B.C. were at 6% and 5% respectively, under the BCIB model of community benefit agreements, the B.C. government was able to increase these participation levels to 14% and 8%. They also guarantee fair wages, benefits and safe working conditions for all workers on the project.

These agreements also provide certainty and accountability, and help strengthen Canada's workforce by making apprenticeship and training an integral part of every major project. Over the $14.7 billion in projects covered by these agreements, 92% of the workers were B.C. residents and 31% were trainees and apprentices. Of these apprentices, 14% obtained their journeyperson status while working on these projects.

We ask the committee to recognize the importance of protecting labour standards, supporting Canadian workers and opening the door wider for those who have historically been under-represented in the trades through project labour agreements or community benefit agreements. Bill C-5 can be a powerful tool in building an economy that works for everyone, but only if it is backed by clear requirements and a strong commitment to Canadian workers.

Thank you for this opportunity. I welcome your questions.