The group’s first meeting laid the groundwork for its work going forward. It will meet quarterly to develop ideas on how to deal with racism and change the industry’s culture.

Participants in a RESCON webinar on October 13 discussed how to keep workers safe during the emerging second COVID-19 wave, and with the additional challenge of winter weather to come.

The country added 378,000 jobs for the month, and is now within 3.7 percent of its pre-COVID employment levels. Construction, meanwhile, is more than 8 percent below its February level.

The association awarded $17,000 worth of scholarships this year, and has awarded $50,000 overall since its program’s inception.

The government has appointed five members to a panel that will look at how to replace the Ontario College of Trades. It also topped up apprenticeship funding by $75 million to help cover apprentices’ living expenses during their in-class training.