SCC Partners with IWSH and UA Canada to Support the Next Generation of Skilled Plumbers

Press Release

Ottawa, ON – April 22, 2026 – Skills/Compétences Canada (SCC) is partnering with International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH) and UA Canada to strengthen Canada’s skilled plumbing workforce while supporting access to safe water and sanitation in Indigenous communities. Through this collaboration, the organizations are engaging and upskilling Indigenous youth through hands-on training, mentorship from professional plumbers, and exposure to rewarding career pathways in the skilled trades.

“Skills Canada is thrilled to promote this initiative and help expand its reach,” said Shaun Thorson, CEO of Skills/Compétences Canada. “By featuring this project at the Skills Canada National Competition 2026, in Toronto, we can demonstrate how partnerships in the skilled trades strengthen communities, open doors for youth, and support sustainable infrastructure.”

Building on the success of previous initiatives, IWSH will once again support this project in Walpole Island First Nation, an unceded territory of the Anishinabe (Ojibwa, Odawa, and Pottawatomi Nations), located in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Volunteers and community members will work together to complete important plumbing upgrades to a community building that provides meals, shower facilities, and workforce placement services. As part of the project, IWSH will lead a pre-apprenticeship training program for community members, with a focus on youth, covering jobsite safety and foundational plumbing skills. Participants will also have the opportunity to shadow qualified plumbing professionals as new fixtures and systems are installed, helping build local capacity while promoting sustainable infrastructure improvements.

The IWSH Walpole Community Project, scheduled for October 2026, will continue the work started during last year’s initiative by providing additional plumbing upgrades and repairs to the community’s administrative building while expanding workforce development opportunities for Indigenous youth.

“Skilled plumbers are essential to safe potable water systems and sanitation. The United Association, representing over 397,000 professionals across North America, including more than 63,000 in Canada, is proud to train and mentor the next generation. In collaboration with IWSH and IAPMO, this project reinforces high standards and expands our training outreach to support resilient communities,” said Mike Gordon, UA Director of Canadian Training.

At the Skills Canada National Competition 2026, in Toronto, IWSH and UA Canada will host an onsite booth to raise awareness of this upcoming community project and its impact. They will also participate in SCC’s livestream broadcast to help amplify this message.

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About Skills/Compétences Canada
Founded in 1989 as a national, not-for-profit organization with partner Skills Canada organizations in each of the provinces/territories that work with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trade and technology careers among Canadian youth. Its unique position among private and public sector partners enables it to work toward securing Canada’s future skilled labour needs while helping young people discover rewarding careers. Skills Canada offers experiential learning opportunities including skilled trade and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skilled trade awareness programs. Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Skills/Compétences Canada is the Canadian Member Organization of WorldSkills.

Media Contact : Michèle Rogerson, Skills/Compétences Canada, micheler@skillscanada.com, T. 613-266-4771.

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