If you’re a tradesperson, you have probably heard talk about huge “nation-building” projects and billions in new investment. The short version is this: Mark Carney’s big project push could mean a lot more work for trades, especially in Western Canada and the North. These are long, heavy jobs that need people who know how to build, wire, weld, pipe, and keep things running safely.
In 2025, the federal government announced over $100 billion in large projects across the country. The second wave of these plans, sometimes called the “nation-building” projects, includes critical minerals and mining, infrastructure and trade, and energy and power facilities. According to the federal announcement on the second tranche of nation-building projects, the goal is to:
- Move more power and goods across the country
- Open up new export routes
- Support cleaner energy and critical minerals
An earlier statement framed it as a push to “protect, build, and transform Canadian strategic industries,” which you can see in more detail in the September policy backgrounder. For trades, the important part is that these projects need shovels in the ground, cranes in the air, and a lot of certified workers.
Why Western Tradespeople Are Centre Stage
When politicians talk about nation‑building, they’re talking about fast‑tracking big resource projects as outlined in the CBC summary of Carney’s priority projects. A large chunk of these projects are in Western and Northern Canada. Think British Columbia, the Prairies, and the territories. According to reporting on Carney’s major project push, the plan is to “turbocharge” the economy with big builds like:
- New transmission lines in B.C.
- Ties that connect Yukon into the main Canadian power grid
- New or expanded LNG facilities on the West Coast
- Transport links to move resources to ports
Government estimates and outside analysis point to tens of thousands of jobs tied to this wave of building, including electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders, heavy equipment operators, and HVAC techs. A report on labour needs, “Builders, baby, builders? The half a million worker question”, notes that Canada already faces a huge shortage of skilled workers. That means higher demand for skilled tradespeople. This could look like:
- Multi‑year work on a transmission corridor in northern B.C.
- Camp jobs tied to LNG construction or expansion
- Contracts on rail, port, or road upgrades that feed those projects
How “Build Baby Build” Connects to Your Paycheque
In terms of real work, If the project to tie Yukon into the main grid goes ahead, or if B.C.’s North Coast line moves ahead, that is years of work building towers, stringing lines, installing switchgear, and then long‑term maintenance when the line is live, which means work for Electricians and powerline technicians for high‑voltage work, civil crews to clear and grade right‑of‑way, equipment operators for foundations and towers, and welders and ironworkers for steel structures.
At LNG plans and energy terminals, liquid natural gas and export terminals need industrial pipefitters and plumbers, millwrights to install and align machinery, electricians and instrument techs to wire controls, and insulators and HVAC techs to handle extreme temperatures. These jobs often run in shifts, two weeks on, two off, with camp housing, which can be tough on family life but strong on overtime hours and savings potential. But these projects can also translate to some serious financial opportunities like:
- More hours and overtime if your company wins contracts
- Higher rates in shortage areas, as firms compete for licensed workers
- Union jobs on megaprojects that include benefits and pensions
- Chance to reset your finances, paying off debt or building savings faster
Temporary booms in work can be a once in a lifetime chance to change or improve your financial situation. If you’re lucky enough to get a job on one of these nation building projects, take the opportunity to clear high interest credit cards, catch up on RRSP and TFSA contributions, and build a 6-12 month emergency fund, especially in preparation for the post- boom period. The key is to treat boom‑time income as temporary, not permanent. Plan your budget like you are still on your regular local wage, then save as much as you can of the extra.
Preparing for the Projects
The projects Carney is backing are large, complex builds, so you’ll need to have up to date tickets and safety certifications. The government’s broader push to support “strategic industries” includes support for skills and innovation, outlined in the federal measures on strategic industries. That can show up as subsidies for training, help for apprenticeship programs, or pressure on employers to hire and train new workers. If you are early in your career, this is a good time to finish your apprenticeship hours, write your Red Seal as soon as you can, ask your employer about courses that fit coming projects, and look at short courses in clean energy, controls, or industrial safety.
The Other Side: Risks, Trade‑offs, and Regional Gaps
Some critics argue that the plan leans too hard into old‑school resource projects and not enough into energy efficiency or direct help for households. You can see that view in coverage like The Guardian’s take on Carney’s nation‑building programme. For tradespeople, the trade‑offs are typical: boom and bust cycles in resource towns, time away from home on camp jobs, wear and tear on your body from heavy industrial work, and housing pressure in project hubs that can eat into higher wages.
Benefits also will not be equal. A welder in northern B.C. may see huge gains, while a residential electrician in Winnipeg might only notice small spillover work. Some trades will need to retrain or shift to different areas to ride the wave.
What To Watch Next
The plans are big, but your questions are simple: Will there be work near me, when will it come, and will it last? As more details come out on specific projects, watch which trades are listed in job postings, whether work is union or non‑union, length of contracts and project timelines, and training programs opening up at local colleges. For many, these nation‑building projects could be the difference between moving between short jobs during the spring and summer and having a clear run of steady work for the foreseeable future. Pay attention, keep your skills sharp, and be prepared to jump on the opportunities to come.
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