Last Updated on August 14, 2025 by BCCWITT Admin
Our BCCWITT team was proud to be one of the 406 organizations who submitted a written submission (below) to the 2026 Budget Consultation process…standing alongside so many other organizations who are calling on government to make vital investments that will improve the lives of people living and working in BC.
Given the varied economic challenges our economy faces, and in line with government’s ambitious housing targets and commitments to investing in infrastructure, it’s more important than ever that BC also invest in the recruitment and retention of skilled workers to help address ongoing labour shortages in the construction and trades sectors. One of the best ways to do that is to actively engage underrepresented labour pools to build the affordable homes, child care centres, and public infrastructure that BC urgently needs—in particular, it means engaging women* and gender-diverse people who represent the largest untapped source of skilled trades workers.
We were happy to have our advocacy work on this issue recognized, as cited in the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services’ report on the Budget 2026 consultation—alongside organizations like the BC Real Estate Association and CUPE Local 4879—as we work to ensure access to trades and skills training is inclusive and helps people overcome the systemic barriers they continue to face.
We were also glad to see the Committee acknowledge the importance of the continued expansion of child care facilities, especially for shift workers. We know this is a vital investment that will help keep more women and gender-diverse people working in the trades—which is why it was another priority we included in our submission, amplifying the calls from the BC Coalition of Child Care Advocates and the Early Childhood Educators of BC.
There’s a lot of work to be done on a wide range of issues, but we will continue to advocate so that we can support more tradeswomen and gender-diverse workers in the trades. We do so knowing our work aligns with government priorities and goals, and has opportunity to create lasting positive changes that can make the trades sector healthier, safer and more stable for all.
*According to the BC Construction Association only about 5% of people working in the industry are women.
Below is our written submission to the 2026 Budget Consultation process, submitted June 20, 2025.
Organizational introduction: BC Centre for Women in the Trades
The BC Centre for Women in the Trades (BCCWITT), established in 2018, works to address both the systemic barriers that hinder the participation of women and gender-diverse people in the trades, and the cultural and workplace conditions that impact their advancement and retention.
Our recommendations focus on the continuing need to transform the trades workforce by increasing diversity and equity, ensuring greater long-term workforce sustainability, and aligning with Canada’s broader economic development goals—possible through continued strategic investments, working alongside partners who share the goals of government, like with BCCWITT.
Recommendation 1: Strengthen the Housing Workforce by Investing in Recruitment and Retention of Women in the Skilled Trades
Despite ongoing efforts by governments, training institutions, and industry stakeholders, women still only represent about five percent of the total trades workforce in Canada—a figure that has remained stagnant for decades. This underrepresentation continues amid a critical skilled labour shortage and growing calls for economic resilience, particularly considering ongoing instability caused by trade disruptions.
As BC plans for a just and fair economic recovery, there is both an opportunity and responsibility to ensure the skilled trades are inclusive and reflective of the communities they serve. This means creating the conditions for thriving, stable industries where everyone—including women, gender-diverse people, and workers from equity-deserving groups—can see themselves building careers in good, family-supporting jobs.
To meet ambitious provincial and federal housing targets, British Columbia must grow and sustain a skilled, diverse construction workforce. That means actively engaging underrepresented labour pools to build the affordable homes, child care centres, and public infrastructure that BC urgently needs—in particular, it means engaging women and gender-diverse people who represent the largest untapped source of skilled trades workers.
Additionally, with government advancing major housing initiatives such as BC Builds and the Housing Accelerator Fund, investments in targeted recruitment and retention initiatives—like mentorship, safety training, and inclusive site practices—are essential to meeting delivery goals and ensuring equity in opportunity.
Given provincial and federal governments’ prioritization of economic resilience and skilled labour force development, this recommendation is aligned with:
- BC’s economic development and workforce strategies;
- Canada’s inclusive growth and gender equity mandates; and
- The current government’s commitment to lower costs, increase affordability, and create good-paying jobs across the province.
Recommendation 2: Provide Stable Core Funding to Sustain Programs That Support Women and Gender-Diverse Tradesworkers
Provide ongoing core operational funding to BCCWITT to ensure long-term stability of vital programs that help women and gender-diverse tradesworkers overcome barriers, enter the skilled trades, and thrive in their careers.
Core funding will enable BCCWITT to continue delivering and expanding critical initiatives such as:
- Trades Training and Employment Program: this workforce development program gets more women into skilled trades—helping women of all intersectional identities overcome barriers. BCCWITT’s career development professionals offer participants individualized support, including access to Short Term Occupational Certificates, resume and interview guidance, and job start supports (e.g. purchase of PPE or tools, transportation incentives, etc.) to ensure successful transitions into jobs. Staff also work with employers to identify and fulfill distinct hiring needs, delivering opportunities that benefit individuals and industry.
- Show Up for Safer Workplaces: an innovative new program that helps participants become leaders in identifying where mental health, addiction and psychological safety issues are hurting people in the construction trades. Show Up supports industry leaders and organizations with strategies and tools to address these issues that are impacting too many workers, employers and communities. This program engages people of all genders, making workplaces healthier for everyone to build lasting careers in.
As the only organization dedicated to advancing gender-based equity in BC’s trades workforce, BCCWITT plays a pivotal role in addressing systemic barriers.
Bringing more women and gender-diverse workers into the trades and helping keep them there, this work accelerates housing construction, reduces systemic labour gaps, and contributes to increased economic stability. The recommendation aligns with government priorities around building a resilient, inclusive economy and addressing skilled labour shortages through targeted workforce development.
Recommendation 3: Invest in Shift-Work Compatible Child Care Options to Support Retention in the Trades
Support and scale the $10aDay Child Care Plan with targeted investments in models that meet the needs of shift-working families—including tradeswomen and gender-diverse tradesworkers—through extended support for child care spaces that offer non-standard hours and flexibly scheduled care options.
Tradesworkers often begin their day well before 9 a.m., with many facing rotating schedules or long commutes to job sites. Without flexible and affordable care options, many skilled workers—who are parents or who become parents—are forced to leave the sector, creating an avoidable and costly loss of talent and experience.
This recommendation reinforces the BC Coalition of Child Care Advocates and Early Childhood Educators of BC’s call for publicly funded, community-delivered child care that works for all families—including those working in shift-based and essential industries. Aligning the child care system with the realities of the trades workforce will promote gender equity, improve retention, and ensure that more people who live and work in British Columbia can fully participate in the economy.