Labor Minister Jean Boulet plans to table his reform of the construction industry this fall. In particular, it plans to facilitate the recognition of prior learning and skills for workers who are not currently in the construction industry, but wants to ensure that it will not be “an open bar”.
The reform will go through a decompartmentalization of professions. The Minister does not see it from the perspective of a reduction in the number of trades, but from that of more versatile workers, who will be able to perform tasks currently assigned to trades other than their own.
Asked whether this will mean that Quebec will have more workers who have not gone through the School of Construction Trades, the Minister replied: “we will see”.
He said he first wanted to ensure the quality and equivalence of the training received, whether it was a worker from abroad or a worker from here, but who worked in an industry other than construction.
The Minister of Labor gave these details on his intentions Monday morning, when he spoke to members of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and during a press briefing that followed.
He also said he wanted a more inclusive industry for women, First Nations people and immigrants.
Currently, women represent 3.65% of the active workforce in the industry in Quebec. We must also work to retain them in this industry, he argued.
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