Billions for housing will help, but who will do the work in London, Ont.?

According to the head of the London and District Construction Association, the region will be pressured to meet a new federal housing pledge.

The Liberal government is promising $6 billion towards the infrastructure needed to build multi-unit housing.

“Canadians need help on affordability with housing,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a Tuesday pre-budget news conference.

Even though Trudeau’s promise is to commit $1 billion immediately, it is welcome news locally.

“The federal dollars are helpful. Yet, we don’t know how much of it is going to trickle down to London,” said Mike Carter, president of the London and District Construction Association.

The majority of the federal money requires provincial backing. If supported, it would provide a new foundation for multi-unit construction nationwide.

But it comes with a human resources problem in the London region, as large industrial projects are already scooping up the skilled labour pool.

Mike Carter, as seen on April 3, 2024 in London, Ont., is the president of the London and District Construction Association. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)

“As I’ve told all my members, we’re looking at a 10-year period of heightened construction activity,” Carter said.

He expects the spike will be exacerbated if interest rates fall and new housing demand soars. In addition, he worries there will not be enough workers to complete all the jobs in the region as fast as some might like.

“What will happen is just like a few years ago, a two-year project will turn into a two-and-a-half or three-year project. Why? Just because you can’t find the folks to get the work done,” he said.

Overtime is a temporary solution, but Carter suggests there is a long-term option to add more people to some residential construction sites.

He said onsite ‘helpers,’ a common position until the late 1980s, should return, and adds the non-skilled position could be a paid step into the construction industry for newcomers to Canada.

High-rise residential construction in London, Ont. on March 13, 2024. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

“It will be quite helpful to do some of the lower-level work. And then your apprentices can be freed up to do more higher valued work that is really related to the actual construction,” he explained.

Carter predicts a good portion of helpers would eventually become certified tradespeople.

CTV News London reached out to several construction associations and unions for additional comment.

A Liuna 1059 spokesperson was unavailable for comment.

The London Home Builders Association, reached late in the day Wednesday, agreed deadlines may be challenging if the new housing market accelerates rapidly.

However, CEO Jared Zaifman is hopeful a bump from the federal government might help to put anyone currently out of work back on residential building sites.