Human Resources Committee on Oct. 30th, 2025

[Andrew Tarr]

Just support them better. You're dealing with two systems. The provinces deal with apprenticeships. The finance part is the federal part, which is EI. If we support them better through EI, they are able to go to school.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Do you have any ideas as to what the federal government could do to make EI more responsive to tradespeople and apprentices?

[Andrew Tarr]

Make a different classification, or make it a training fund instead of EI. Here you have working people who must collect unemployment insurance to go to school. Why can't you turn it into a training fund? Just as we have apprenticeship grants, turn it into a training grant or something that could support the apprentice, so they don't lose a paycheque the week they leave work. They could then go to trade school. They wouldn't be subject to the rules of EI, because they are going to trade school.

Make a different classification for the apprentices.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Thank you. I really appreciate that. I'm really proud to come from Fort McMurray. In Fort McMurray we've actually had registered apprenticeship programs in high school since before I was even born.

Do you believe there are enough registered apprenticeship programs in high schools across Canada?

[Andrew Tarr]

I can't speak for outside of Ontario. I know in Ontario the school system is doing a pretty good job with what we call OYAP, the Ontario youth apprenticeship program.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

How many students are in that, approximately?

[Andrew Tarr]

I couldn't—

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

If you don't know, no worries.

I really appreciate this.

Do you have any final thoughts?

[Andrew Tarr]

No, I'm pretty good.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Ms. Goodridge.

We will turn to Madam Desrochers to conclude for five minutes.

[Caroline Desrochers, Liberal, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Thank you.

I'll start, but then I'll probably share my time here.

Thanks to the member on the other side for bringing up the example of the five colleges ESDC is looking into that perhaps are not following the rules correctly. It just speaks to what my colleague was talking about, the guardrails in the system.

Mr. Tarr, when you said earlier there were some colleges, we do have a system in place to look into how the recipients are receiving those funds and using those funds, and I think that points to that.

There's also been some discussion around action with respect to the actions we've taken to build things and to put people to work. I would just point to Build Canada Homes. I think we've been very clear that we're getting back into the business of building affordable homes. These are going to be real projects that are going to put real people to work. There's a first round of 4,000 that have been announced, and we're putting federal lands to use.

I am getting somewhere with this. It's the same thing with the Trans Mountain pipeline. I know that our Conservative colleagues like to say that we are the anti-energy party. We are not. We are the party for responsible development of our resources, and the Trans Mountain pipeline resulted in thousands of jobs during its construction and continues to help the energy industry out west.

I was intrigued by what my colleague, Mr. Genuis, said earlier about loans and grants to support students. We already have quite a generous federal loan program for students. I do very much like the idea of how we can better support students going into trades. Do you think that additional loans, or maybe better loans with better rates, or grants would be more helpful? Maybe it's a question for both of you.

Mr. Tarr, do you want to start?

[Andrew Tarr]

I don't know how many apprentices are taking the loans. I know they get tool grants and they get completion money when they go to trade school. In trade school, typically they aren't getting loans for tuition or anything. That falls under the Government of Ontario's ministry of training.

[Caroline Desrochers, Liberal, Trois-Rivières, QC]

I'm not saying it would necessarily be the federal government, but do you think that this is something that would be helpful to do? We're trying to drive more students toward doing this. What is stopping them? Is there something that the government at any level should be encouraging?

[Andrew Tarr]

I think the biggest thing would be to change the EI system, so that when they go to school they have money. They're out of work for two months. Some trades are two and a half months. The way mortgages are and everything today, it's hard for them. They get 66% of their wages to pay a $3,200 mortgage. Changing the EI system so it's a training fund would be a lot better.

[Caroline Desrochers, Liberal, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Thank you.

Mr. Vultur, do you have anything to add?

[Mircea Vultur]

I think increased financial support to guide students towards in-demand jobs is the way to go.

I think the affordable housing construction program is also useful, because it helps young people, first and foremost. They need housing, so they can start a family. There's a direct connection between various government programs and young people. Not only do they need jobs, but they also need a place to live where they can start a family. They are Canada's future.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

There are 30 seconds left.

[Jessica Fancy-Landry, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

I have only 30 seconds. Okay, I'll be really quick.

Mr. Tarr, you've highlighted the importance of mobility. Because the federal government helps fund interprovincial Red Seal alignment and labour mobility tax measures, do you think that greater alignment between federal and provincial systems would help you find work faster?

[Andrew Tarr]

It could if they had to travel to get work. It would make things easier.

[Jessica Fancy-Landry, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

How's that for 30 seconds there, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

You're a second over—very good.

I believe that concludes this round.

I want to thank the witnesses for spending the full two hours with us. You can see that the discussion was very engaging, so thank you for appearing before the committee and putting recommendations and options on the table.

With that, is it the will of the committee to adjourn?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

We are adjourned.