Canada's Building Trades Unions (CBTU) has released a plan to advance Indigenous participation, leadership, and economic opportunity across the unionized construction sector.

The Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan (IRAP) establishes a coordinated, sector-wide approach to reconciliation, providing practical tools, clear commitments, and measurable pathways for CBTU affiliates and provincial councils to strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities and expand access to careers in the skilled trades.

The program is being led by CBTU's Director of Workforce Development, Lindsay Amundsen in partnership with Mokwateh, an Indigenous-owned consultancy. It builds on CBTU's 2017 adoption of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Call to Action #92, reaffirming commitments to meaningful consultation, equitable access to jobs and training, and education on Indigenous history, rights, and cultures.

"We stand at a defining moment for Canada's skilled trades," said Sean Strickland, Executive Director of CBTU. "With unprecedented investment in infrastructure, we have a responsibility to ensure Indigenous engagement and partnership are embedded across every jobsite and community. Canada's Building Trades Unions' Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan is that unified national voice."

The IRAP is anchored in 4 strategic pillars:

• Expanding Indigenous entry into the trades through training pathways, partnerships, and targeted outreach.
• Enhancing cultural awareness, training, and knowledge-sharing across the CBTU network.
• Increasing Indigenous participation in procurement and major project supply chains.
• Strengthening Indigenous leadership and governance within CBTU to ensure accountability and sustained progress.

Together, these pillars outline 41 actionable commitments for CBTU to complete by 2029, from developing culturally relevant pre-employment programs and Indigenous procurement policies to establishing an Indigenous Advisory Committee and embedding reconciliation into CBTU governance structures.

"This plan is a formal commitment born from listening, learning, and working alongside Indigenous communities and our members across the country," said Robert Kucheran, Chairman of the CBTU Canadian Executive Board. "The IRAP brings together best practices and sets out a clear, accountable framework for meaningful progress, one that we invite our partners to engage with, challenge, and help us advance."

CBTU says the IRAP is designed to be flexible and scalable, enabling affiliates and provincial councils to adopt and implement its guidance regardless of their starting point. It includes practical tools, templates, and engagement frameworks that make Indigenous partnership achievable across diverse regional contexts.

The IRAP also embeds accountability at the highest levels of the organization, including annual progress reporting, the creation of an Indigenous Advisory Committee reporting to the Board, and the designation of an Indigenous Relations lead to coordinate implementation.

• Human Resources
• General Industry