Construction stakeholders are being urged to stake their claims to a share of the billions in new federal defence infrastructure spending pledged by the Mark Carney government.
Aaron Gorka, business developer with Hamilton-based contractor Lancaster Group, was effusive after addressing students recently at their graduation from Lancaster’s fourth Heavy Metal Summer Experience, a two-week youth trades camp intended to give young people hands-on exposure to various construction trades.
Gorka noted the rapid creation of new defence industrial strategies on both the federal and provincial levels. Federal announcements have included a Defence Investment Agency, a Defence Industrial Strategy and, in May, a new Strategic Partnership Framework to enable companies to work more closely with government.
On the provincial level a new Ontario Defence Association was launched in April followed in May by the outlining of a new Ontario Defence Industrial Strategy.
‘Start making calls’
It’s time for Hamilton-area contractors to abandon traditional biases against sharing information, Gorka said, pick up the phone and start taking the steps necessary to create home-bred defence procurement strategies.
“The whole purpose and the discussion around defence is taking companies who are not typically defence companies, which is most of commercial construction, and preparing them to actually be able to do that work,” said Gorka.
“There’s so much work that has to be built urgently, in very remote places, that we need to pivot and be able to figure out how to do it. We need coaching on that, and there’s the Ontario Defence Association and others who are helping us with that.”
The federal government has pledged $290 billion over the next decade for defence- and security-related infrastructure, alongside broader defence procurement investments. Projects could include construction of military bases, hangars, shipyard expansion, Arctic infrastructure and critical minerals delivery.
“The whole economy is being driven as a militarization initiative,” said Gorka, noting the refocus toward defence projects requires contractors to learn such basics as how to obtain a security clearance.
“Military is driving, quite frankly, all this next batch of nation-building projects.”
Gorka made sure participants in the recent Heavy Metal workshop got the message. Menard project manager Gavin Boyd, attending the graduation ceremony as a representative of the Hamilton-Halton Construction Association’s Young Leaders Group, said defence procurement arose frequently among other topics such as the benefits of exposing young people to the trades and the need for local contractors to encourage the next generation of apprentices.
“Aaron brings it up quite often, but outside of that, we’re bidding on projects in the Ring of Fire in Ontario, so a big part of defence is primary resources,” he said. “So, building more mines to mine heavy metals, like nickel mining in northern Ontario.”
Other sponsors and participants in the Heavy Metal camp included Ontario Shipyards, Bennett Mechanical, SMW Local 537, National Energy, Ira McDonald Constructors, Dewar Constructors, Charles Jones Supply, EH Price Equipment, Diversified Metals, Machitech Equipment, Sean Rubenstein, Lawlor Safety, DeWalt and the Niagara and Halton Skilled Trades Academy.
Skilled Trades Academy representative Michael Bennett said the conversations he has with parents and pre-apprentices usually include a discussion of the current jobs market. A key focus of the academy is on pathways for trades to obtain certification as gas fitters.
“There are going to be some major projects, pipelines going through, the electrical grid being upgraded,” he said. “(But) you always have housing, you always have apartments, you always have condos going in. There’s lots of growth in the trades.”
Teamwork on display
Boot camp participant Michael Vergatis, 16, said he enjoyed investigating various trades during the two weeks including electrical, carpentry and welding work.
“I learned that you use a lot of teamwork in this camp,” said Vergatis.
His father John is a team leader at Ford and recounted at the end of every day Michael discussed daily achievements.
“It’s all about the team and co-ordinating everything and making sure everybody does the right thing,” said John Vergatis
Devin Dee is a glass metal technician who works most days on a swing stage. He said his son Dominic, 16, hears about his father’s profession but the boot camp was a chance to “see and feel what the real world’s going to be like for him.”
Dominic also spoke to potential employers about broader career issues.
“It was definitely a great, great experience for him to be able to get a chance to talk to these higher-ups,” said Devin Dee.
Students attending the Heavy Metal camp were given $200 for work boots and tools worth $300.
“This is such an easy program for kids, for companies to fill their talent pool, and Canada needs this,” said Gorka.
“This is not business as usual, quite frankly.”
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