Province intends to create registry of Manitoba-certified Red Seal tradespeople

The Manitoba government plans to create an online public registry of certified tradespeople.

Business Minister Jamie Moses introduced legislation to start the process earlier this month. He’s aiming to launch the registry by the end of June, he said.

The list would confirm which workers have Manitoba-issued Red Seal endorsements and occupational certifications.

Manitobans and local employers will be able to search names via Apprenticeship Manitoba’s website, Moses said.

Apprenticeship Manitoba oversees certification of at least 50 trades.

Once live, the registry will also be linked on the national Red Seal website.

One goal of the registry is to increase labour mobility and attract tradespeople to the province, Moses said. Workers will need Manitoba certification before they can be listed.

“When they apply to work here in Manitoba, it’s going to be a lot easier for their employer to look (them) up,” Moses said.

Manitoba’s relative low cost of living could be a draw, he added.

Trades, transport and equipment operators (and related occupations) are among the career categories projected to have the highest number of available jobs in the province.

The Manitoba government expects 25,600 openings between 2025 and 2029, according to its labour market outlook.

Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and several Atlantic provinces already have skilled-trades registries. Users are able to search names and view qualifications.

Personal information will be protected in Manitoba’s edition, Moses said.

There’s little cost involved in creating the registry, he said, adding apprentices won’t be included on the list.

The legislation came as a surprise to Winnipeg Construction Association director of stakeholder engagement Darryl Harrison.

“This is… symptomatic to the provincial government being very secretive about what they’re doing in construction,” Harrison said.

He mentioned the Manitoba Jobs Agreement, a government policy affecting large infrastructure projects. The association has said it was surprised by announcements related to that initiative, as well.

The association represents approximately 800 companies, and isn’t opposed to a registry “as long as it’s done correctly,” Harrison said.

That means restricting tradespeople’s personal information; a first initial, last name and certification is enough, Harrison said.

The legislation must undergo further readings and debate before becoming law.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com