Ontario Construction News staff writer
CAMBRIDGE – Li UNA Local 837 has finished a big upgrade to its training and education centre in Cambridge, thanks to over $8.8 million in provincial funding aimed at boosting Ontario’s skilled trades workforce.
This project, supported by the Skills Development Fund Capital Stream, will enable the union to train as many as 5,000 more apprentices and construction workers over the coming five years.
“Training is the foundation of everything we build, and today, that foundation gets even stronger,” said Nick Ciccone, training director for Li UNA Local 837. “This is a direct investment in workers, in safety and in the future of our industry.”
The expansion involved upgrading existing classrooms at the local’s Industrial Road facility and adding a new 23,791-square-foot building. The improved centre now includes an equipment lab and simulator area with virtual reality tech that helps apprentices practice realistic job-site scenarios before they start work.
Ontario Labour Minister David Piccini pointed out that investing in training facilities is key to meeting construction demands across the province.
“Canada has hospitals to build, highways to expand and homes that families desperately need, and none of it happens without our skilled tradespeople,” Piccini said. “By investing in modern, world-class training facilities like this, we are helping workers build rewarding careers while ensuring Ontario has the workforce it needs to deliver critical projects.”
The province has so far put forward $128.7 million through the Skills Development Fund Capital Stream to upgrade and modernize training sites. The goal is to connect workers with high-demand jobs while supporting businesses and economic growth.
Around 577,500 people worked in Ontario’s construction sector in 2025. The province expects almost 400,000 skilled trades workers will be needed over the next ten years due to retirements and growing demand.
Li UNA Local 837 is part of the Labourers’ International Union of North America and represents construction labourers across Southwestern Ontario.
