Coast-to-Coast Spring/Summer 2023 Update
IBEW “Open for Business” Membership Development Conference and Industry Night
On Monday March 20th, 2023, organizers from across Canada descended upon Toronto for a day long organizing blitz. With the assistance of IBEW Local Union 353, teams of organizers were sent out to visit non-union job sites and collect information on our competition. The spirit and energy of this dedicated group spilled over into the conference and educational workshops that were offered over the following days. We also hosted our first ever Electrical Industry Stakeholder reception on the Wednesday evening with customers, clients, contractors, and other industry related partners joining our IBEW delegates for a fantastic networking opportunity. The IBEW media department was in attendance, and we expect a great promotional video to be released in the near future. Thank you to all that attended!
Business Development
In the simplest terms, business development can be summarized as the ideas, initiatives, and activities that help make a business better. This includes increasing revenues, growth in terms of business expansion, increasing profitability by building strategic partnerships, and making strategic business decisions. It is still early days with our new focus on Business Development in Canada, but the IBEW is making inroads into some significant markets.
1) Green/Renewable Energy:
IBEW Canada Executives have met with industry leaders in the development of Small Modular Reactors (SMR), Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure and Manufacturing, Hydrogen as an alternative fuel, Wind (both onshore and offshore), Solar and Energy Storage. We are continuing to educate all of these clients about the IBEW and how we can assist them in getting their projects financed, permitted, built and maintained.
2) Outside Branch:
IBEW Canada Executives continue to meet with and explore how the IBEW can partner with industry leaders to ensure the electrification of society can be done by our members. We know there is an immense amount of work being proposed and whoever has the trained and skilled workforce will be the greatest benefactor. We need to ensure that labour partner is the IBEW.
3) Indigenous Partnerships:
As Canada continues to work towards the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Act, we continue to reach out to indigenous communities and networks to explore mutually beneficial partnerships.
Government Relations
There have been several large-scale electrification projects being announced recently and many more will be announced in the coming months and years. This is a great time to belong to the IBEW, the greatest and largest energy Union in the world. We will continue to work with government officials to ensure that the projects being proposed provide good, union paying jobs to the workers building, and maintaining this critical infrastructure for years to come.
Membership Development
On June 21st, 2023, a group of Local Unions and Organizers in Atlantic Canada will come together for an organizing blitz. It is wonderful to see Local Unions coming together to share resources and collectively work together to expand their membership and markets. IBEW Canada was thrilled to be asked to support this initiative, and we encourage others to consider doing the same in their regions.
Education and Training
IBEW Canada is still working through a long list of requested training received during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you need training or are unsure about the status of your requested training, please contact your International Service Representative.
As a reminder, please ensure all training requests are submitted by an authorized representative of the Local Union via the IBEW Canada website [request form].
Building Trades Solidarity
As a follow up, and to serve as a reminder regarding the Canadian Building Trades Unions declaration against the UBC Locals 585 and 1999, these two Carpenter Local Unions have sought to establish wall-to-wall agreements that seek to undercut and undermine decades of hard work by all members of the building trades. As directed via the April 26th letter, no IBEW member across Canada will be granted permission to work on ANY UBC Wall-to-Wall ICI projects! Working on projects with rival unions and non-signatory contractors will only create a race to the bottom, and we need our members to remain steadfast for the greater good.
IBEW Growth
It is to be noted that out of all the IBEW Districts in North America, the 1st District – Canada had the largest growth in membership in the month of April 2023.
TOTAL MEMBERSHIP IN 1ST DISTRICT:
Annual Change
| April 30, 2022 | April 30, 2023 | # | % |
| 61,891 | 62,783 | 892 | 1.4% |
1st DISTRICT MEMBERSHIP BREAKDOWN:
| Total A | Total BA | Total FP | Total |
| 36,282 | 24,878 | 1,623 | 62,783 |
New Contractors Signed from ACPM (August) 2022 to May 15, 2023:
LU37 – Guild Electric LU353 – HIF Power Inc. LU804 – No Shorts Electric
LU120 – Atlan Electric LU353 – JLG Electrical Inc. LU804 – David Electric Solutions
LU120 – RT HVAC Holdings Inc. LU353 – Rran Electric & Automation Inc. LU993 – Waiward Industrial
LU213 – Cardtronics (P&I) LU353 – Steam Electric Inc. LU993 – Apex Electrical Contracting Inc.
LU213 – Diebold Nixdorf (P&I) LU353 – Phased Electric LU1555 – Lambert Contracting
LU213 – Fettback & Heesterman Energy LU353 – Harris Industries LU1555 – Melco Electric Ltd.
LU213 – Quadra Utility Locating (P&I) LU353 – Trivolt Electric LU1687 – Set Power Systems
LU213 – RESA Canada Inc. LU402 – Aiken Electric LU1687 – Bisschops Industries
LU230 – Island Lighthouse Electrical LU625 – Atlas Electric LU2038 – MCL Power Inc
LU230 – Aurora Electric LU625 – Mike Popovich Electric LU2038 – Tron Construction and Mining INC.
LU258 – Allteck Traffic Control (P&I) LU625 – The State Group Inc. (NS & PEI) LU2067 – SaskPower Nutrien CoGen (P&I)
LU353 – BNR Electric Inc. LU625 – SNF Electric LU2228 – Nasituq (P&I)
LU353 – Core Cabling Inc. LU636 – CRM Rubber (P&I) LU2330 – Ainsworth
LU353 – Corlan Electric LU773 – Brad Hill Electric LU2330 – Upper Limits Industrial
LU353 – Durham Home Automation LU773 – Steve Goldsmith Contracting
LU353 – Gio Electric LU804 – Azores Construction
LU353 – Graphene Electric LU804 – Phased Electric
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