Author: Stephanie Gomez

Ontario’s public transit system is facing a growing crisis with a severe shortage of skilled trades workers. ATU Local 113 is calling on the provincial government to strengthen its support for apprenticeships through the Skills Development Fund. Our union continues to raise awareness about the widening skills gap impacting the TTC.

Toronto’s transit network depends on thousands of highly trained workers – from the operators of buses, subways, streetcars, LRTs, and paratransit services to skilled tradespeople who work behind the scenes and make public transit possible. Skilled workers include Coach Technicians, General Body Repair Persons, HVAC specialists, Plumbers, and Bricklayers. These are stable, well?paid careers that support families and build strong communities.

But the challenges are mounting. An aging workforce means that 30 – 40% of current skilled trades employees at our locations will retire within the next 5 – 10 years. In some departments, nearly half of the workforce is approaching retirement. Meanwhile, many young people aren’t considering skilled trades as viable, prosperous career paths.

This shortage isn’t limited to the TTC — it impacts the entire province. That’s why we’re urging the government to invest in a public awareness campaign and increase funding for skilled trades apprenticeships to ensure a sustainable, well-trained workforce for the future of transit.

We must act now to close the skilled trades gap and protect the reliability of public transit for generations to come.

Watch our apprentice’s story to see how investing in skilled workforce development today secures the public transit infrastructure of tomorrow.