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OAKVILLE, ONT.—The 2022 Good Roads Conference kicked off with an announcement of more than $1.3 million in funding to train municipal workers designing, building and maintaining roads and bridges in Ontario.

The announcement was made by Monte McNaughton, minister of labour, training and skills development at the conference April 11.

The funds will be invested into educating and training individuals who will be designing, building, and maintaining roads and infrastructure in the province. It is expected to help over 500 workers in the industry upgrade their skills.

The program will be funded through the province’s Skills Development Fund, which supports organizations with innovative projects that address challenges to hiring, training or retaining workers, including apprentices, during the pandemic, indicates a release. 

“Having good roads and highways are essential to our province and its future,” said McNaughton in a statement. “That is why our government is investing in innovative training programs like this, which ensure we have the workers we need to build roads, bridges, and hospitals on time and on budget. This project will help over 500 workers in the industry upgrade their skills and earn bigger paycheques.”

“Ontario has more than 302,000 kilometers of municipal roads and over 25,000 bridges. Training and educating those tasked with maintaining these public assets is crucial,” added Scott Butler, executive director for Good Roads. “We are extremely pleased with today’s announcement, as this will help educate and train the next generation of municipal infrastructure leaders.”