LiUNA Local 506 Training Centre Construction and Child Care Research Initiative

The LiUNA Local 506 Training Centre is a key partner in developing Ontario’s skilled trades workforce and has a frontline view on what is working to bring new workers into the skilled trades and what barriers prevent developing and sustaining the skilled trades workforce that Ontario needs. 

One major barrier has become increasingly clear to the Local 506 Training Centre in the course of this work. The lack of access to quality child care that aligns with the needs of workers in the building trades is holding back recruitment and retention, preventing growth and sustainability of a more diverse workforce. 

To begin addressing this challenge, Medow Consulting worked with the LiUNA Local 506 Training Centre to develop and deliver the Construction and Child Care Research Initiative with the financial support of Ontario’s Skills Development Fund.   

Through this initiative, we conducted research on barriers to child care access for tradespeople. We consulted with more than 30 stakeholder organizations, partners and experts – including Local 506 members.   

The project results include a final research report, Building up Child Care for Workers in the Skilled Trades with recommendations for governments, employers, labour, the child care sector, and skilled trades people themselves.  

In addition we produced a series of practical toolkits: 

• For Tradespeople: To help navigate the current child care system. 

• For Employers and Labour: Highlighting the top three actions they can take to create change. 

• For Government: Identifying steps that municipal, provincial, and federal governments can take to improve child care for the building trades workforce. 

The Construction and Child Care Research Initiative benefited from the advice and ongoing support Special Advisor Martha Friendly of the Child Care Resource and Research Unit.