What is the Workers’ Climate Plan?

The plan is a blueprint for gettingCanada’s energy sector back to work, developed by workers with experience in the energy industry
Energy workers are currently dealing with some of the greatest challenges of their careers — they deserve lasting solutions that create good-paying, sustainable jobs

Who developed the plan?

The process was started by Iron & Earth, an organization led by skilled tradespeople who have worked in Canada’s oil industry
From June to October, Iron & Earth reached out to energy sector workers online, over the phone and in-person to consult with them and gather their input
Iron & Earth also consulted with energy sector stakeholders to devise policy recommendations based on what workers are asking for

The Workers’ Climate Plan process identified four key areas for government action:

Build up Canada’s renewable energy workforce by rapidly upskilling energy sector workers through short-term training programs and expanding apprenticeships
Build up the manufacturing capacity of renewable energy products through the retooling and advancement of existing manufacturing facilities
Help existing energy-sector unions, contractors, manufacturers and developers transition to renewable energy through incubator programs and multi-stakeholder collaboration
Upgrade existing non-renewable energy infrastructure by integrating renewable technologies and industrial-scale energy efficiency into that infrastructure

There is a brief window of opportunity: large-scale renewable energy projects in Alberta and Saskatchewan will start ramping up in 2018. Canada needs to proactively prepare the workforce and industry to harness our country’s energy sector specializations
The federal government is currently developing a pan-Canadian climate and clean energy growth strategy. It must ensure continued job opportunities for energy sector workers
Up to $50 billion will be invested in renewable energy over the next 14 years in Alberta and Saskatchewan, according to Siemens Canada, because of new energy policies
Many of these dollars will flow out of Canada, and to countries with more established renewable energy industries, unless Canada expands our own renewable energy sector

Most workers who responded to the Workers’ Climate Plan survey say their skills could be applied to renewable energy projects either with some retraining (64%) or immediately without any retraining (16%)
The federal government must invest in specific training opportunities for the rapid upskilling of energy sector workers, and support job growth in the renewable sector, to make that possible
The compatibility of existing skills with renewables is extensive: electricians are needed to install solar panels, welders are needed to build wind turbines, boilermakers and pipefitters are needed to build biomass and biofuel systems, drilling engineers are needed to locate and maintain geothermal wells, and so on

The full plan includes quotes and photos from workers, full results from the consultation, as well as more details about the policy recommendations

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