Endorsement driven by the party’s strong commitment to investing in skilled trades and protecting Ontario workers
Toronto, February 24, 2025 — Today, Doug Ford and the Ontario PCs welcomed an endorsement from the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 46 (IUPAT DC46), which represents more than 8,000 members working in various trades across Ontario, including painters, drywall finishers, glass and metal technicians, automatic door technicians and HAZMAT workers. Their endorsement reflects the Ontario PCs’ strong commitment to investing in workers, boosting economic growth and protecting Ontario against the threat of President Trump’s tariffs.
“Thank you to Bruno Mandic and the hardworking women and men of IUPAT DC46 for your strong endorsement,” said Doug Ford. “As we face down the threat of President Trump’s tariffs, I promise to do whatever it takes to protect Ontario workers and jobs. Our investments in construction projects and training are not just building infrastructure, they’re protecting and securing good-paying jobs for years to come.”
“We are proud to stand with Doug Ford and the Ontario PC Party. His proven record of investing in construction projects and training programs has given the skilled trades, including those represented by the IUPAT, the tools and opportunities they need to succeed,” said Bruno Mandic, Business Manager and Secretary-Treasurer, IUPAT DC46. “Doug Ford’s commitment to protecting workers and building a stronger, safer and more prosperous Ontario directly benefits our members and the communities we serve. With his leadership, Ontario’s workers are in capable hands.”
Since 2018, the Ontario PCs have supported and invested significantly in the skilled trades, including the following:
- Over $5.5 million to IUPAT’s training partner, the Finishing Trades Institute of Ontario, to help their current and future members gain more skills to secure good-paying work.
- More than $63 million to help students and young people get first-hand experience and prepare for future careers in the skilled trades.
- Creating a new 27-week job-protected long-term illness leave for workers with a serious medical condition.
- Putting money back into workers’ pockets by waiving the fee for apprentices taking their first Certificate of Qualification exam, saving each apprentice up to $570 throughout their apprenticeship journey.
Only Doug Ford has a plan to protect Ontario:
- Building Ontario’s economy by investing more than $200 billion in our plan to build roads, highways, transit and other infrastructure projects while investing $2.5 billion to train more than one million people for better jobs and bigger paycheques in the skilled trades.
- Protecting workers in the face of President Trump’s tariffs by doing whatever is necessary to protect people’s livelihoods, including by investing tens of billions of dollars to keep people working.
- Keeping us competitive by fighting the job-killing Liberal carbon tax and urging the federal government to cut red tape and streamline approvals to get big things built.
- Cleaning up our streets by protecting families and children by banning drug injection sites near schools and daycares and clearing out encampments from public parks with new investments in shelters.
- Delivering better care, including by investing $1.8 billion more to connect everyone in Ontario to a family doctor and primary care.
Doug Ford will never stop working to protect Ontario.
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