Bruce Power and the Ontario Building and Construction Trades are joining forces through a new collaboration agreement signalling a shared commitment to the ongoing role of Bruce Power nuclear in the province and recognizing the strategic importance of the company to thousands of tradespeople.
“A strong role for clean, affordable, reliable nuclear power will help sustain a highly-trained workforce and a robust, diversified economy, which is important to communities across Ontario and around the Bruce Power site in particular,” said Patrick Dillon, business manager and secretary-treasurer of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario. “The Bruce Power site is a source of thousands of jobs for our members but our relationship goes beyond that as we both share a number of similar strategic goals.”
Bruce Power and the unionized labour group formally signed the collaboration agreement in Hamilton in September with labour minister Kevin Flynn. “This agreement is a good example of what we can all achieve by working together,” said Flynn. “Achieving these shared goals allows Bruce Power to continue to play an important role in Ontario and strengthen our economy and trades throughout the province.”
The Bruce site is home to a number of building and construction trades including Boilermakers, Carpenters, Electricians, Insulators, Ironworkers and Rodmen, Labourers, Millwrights, Operating Engineers, Painters, Pipefitters/Plumbers, Sheet Metal and Roofers and Teamsters. Over the last 14 years, Bruce Power developed a strong working relationship with these trades, including the trades council, with millions of hours of tradesperson work being carried-out on the Bruce site.
“In order to maintain eight units of operation that currently provide over 30 per cent of Ontario’s electricity at 30 per cent below the average cost of electricity, we will need to continue to work closely together to carry out millions of hours of trades work,” said Duncan Hawthorne, president and CEO of Bruce Power. “This agreement will help lay the groundwork for a successful future for all of us but more importantly builds on the very progressive relationship we have had over the last 14 years and outlines a number of key goals we look forward to achieving together.”
The collaboration agreement focuses on the following areas:
- Continuing to deliver strong safety performance through the shared value of ‘Safety First.’
- Ensure the necessary availability of skilled trades in the short-, medium- and long term by promoting recruitment, training and apprenticeships.
- Work together collaboratively to ensure the successful execution of projects on the site.
Increase the diversity within the trades with a particular focus on Aboriginal people, women and visible minorities. - Create opportunities for former military service members to find careers within the skilled trades.
- Ensure nuclear power continues to play an important role as part of a reliable, clean, affordable and balanced supply mix in the province.