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B.C. Roadbuilders receive cash infusion to help combat labour shortage

BURNABY, B.C. — The British Columbia Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association (BCRB & HCA) is aiming to attract talent to the industry with the help of new provincial grant money.

The $3.9 million, three-year grant will be used to enhance the BCRB & HCA’s talent attraction program and help the highway maintenance and road building industries in the battle against the labour shortage. The program focuses on using innovative technology to hire, train and retain employees.

The funds will be used on a roadshow travelling the province to provide a hands-on experience for jobseekers. Innovative simulator technology will put potential new employees in the driver’s seat of heavy equipment, allowing them to experience the job first-hand.

As part of its overall strategy, BCRB & HCA is targeting currently underrepresented groups in the industry, including women, Indigenous Peoples and new Canadians, with training and partnership opportunities.

Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of social development and poverty reduction for the Government of British Columbia, says the grant is crucial to helping those underrepresented groups obtain good, in-demand jobs.

“Helping employers remove barriers to the workplace means more people can work and participate in their communities,” she said.

The talent attraction roadshow will include trailers containing five realistic and safe heavy equipment simulators. Potential employees who engage with the program will receive a certificate to note their achievement.

“Investments like these are vital for the strength of communities in BC,” said Matt Pitcairn, Vice President, BCRB & HCA. “We look forward to how this program will raise the profile of these jobs, and how they can be an important catalyst for the economic health of the province.”

The talent attraction program is targeted to begin in Spring 2024 and will run for two years.