ATLANTIC CANADA Atlantic Canada governments announce harmonization of apprenticeship systems Canadian Design and Construction Report The Atlantic provinces have agreed to harmonize their apprenticeship systems. Federal and provincial leaders announced in late May that the Atlantic provinces, through the Council of At- lantic Premiers, will invest $3.5 million in the project. In addition, federal Employment and Social Development Minister Jason Kenney announced that the federal gov- ernment will provide more than $4.3 million to support the initiative. “It is time to keep our most important resource, our people, working at home,” said New Brunswick premier David Alward. “Harmonizing apprenticeship projects across the Atlantic region will help build our communi- ties and create job opportunities here at home. As we continue to work together to build a skilled workforce across our region, we want to ensure opportunities meet the needs of employers and apprentices.” Within the next four years, the project will harmonize 28 – Summer 2014 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report 10 trades across the four provinces beginning with bricklayers, cooks, instrumentation and control techni- cians and construction electricians. “Having harmonized apprenticeship systems will help more Canadians gain the skills and experience they need to find available jobs,” said Kenney. “This project will create jobs and opportunities for workers across At- lantic Canada and help employers get the skilled work- ers they needs. Today is an important step forward in removing the barriers to job creation caused by differ- ent apprenticeship systems across the country.” Over the course of the past year, Alward met with his Atlantic counterparts to discuss how together they can best respond to the region's labour market and job training needs. “This on-going dialogue and co-ordination led to today's announcement,” said Alward. “I am pleased that our government, as a partner in the Atlantic Workforce Partnership, will harmonize apprenticeship programs across the Atlantic region.”