Thank you, Mr. Baldinelli. Thank you, Tracy.
Yes, we definitely need more workers. We don't have the capacity in Canada to train them. We have one college in Quebec. People from northern Quebec have to move to Quebec for three years to go to school there. It's the same in other provinces. The requirements that Transport Canada is imposing on approved colleges are just so woefully outdated that, without improvements there, we'll never get the colleges to deliver what industry needs.
Is it realistic to expect governments to expand capacity at colleges? Those are expensive programs. They're continually closing. There used to be six in the Maritimes and now there are two. We need to look at new ways of training that are more accessible and affordable. To the Taxpayers Federation, this doesn't require more investment from government. It just requires a government strategy and for Transport to facilitate the use of new technologies and new ways of learning.
We're losing 35% to the pandemic. We need to find a way to replace them.
The national strategy that many people have spoken about needs governments at both the federal and provincial levels to sit down and discuss the lack of capacity and the need to encourage people. As Tracy said, there was a federal program run by ESDC for career focus to get young people into the industry. They're running one now for wage subsidies for students. Those things are crucial for getting young people into the industry. I would encourage the government to continue those programs.
I could go on, but I'll stop there.