The Canadian Association of Women in Construction (CAWIC) welcomes the Government of Canada’s 2026 Spring Economic Update and its strong focus on skilled trades. CAWIC supports the government’s efforts to expand training, remove barriers, retain workers, and create more opportunities particularly for women. As demand for skilled workers grows, increasing women’s participation is essential to meeting Canada’s workforce and economic needs and building a stronger, more inclusive industry. CAWIC looks forward to working with the Government of Canada and industry stakeholders to help advance these priorities and deliver meaningful progress.
The government’s direction aligns with CAWIC’s Vision 2035, which aims to significantly increase the participation, retention, and leadership of women in construction. By 2035, we envision a construction industry where women represent 35% of the workforce. Reaching this target will not only help grow our economy and address labour shortages, but it will also ensure a stronger, more diverse, inclusive, and resilient industry for the future.