August 22, 2008

Sault Ste. Marie

Four Sault-area mechanical contracting firms get approval to hire foreign workers

ELAINE DELLA-MATTIA

correspondent

Four local companies have been granted approval by Human Resources and Social Development Canada to bring in foreign plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters to fill a local need for tradesmen.

The application, which was first filed about eight weeks ago, was approved last Friday, said Rick Thomas of the Sault Ste. Marie Mechanical Contractors Association.

The companies, Venshore Mechanical, McLeod Bros. Mechanical, R.F. Contracting and Superior Industrial Services, together can hire 104 foreign workers to fill local market needs.

The tradesmen are needed to fill shortages at the construction site of the new Sault Area Hospital and Essar Steel Algoma’s new co-generation plant and elsewhere within the steel plant.

The joint application between the employers, the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of U.S. and Canada (Local 508) and the Sault Ste. Marie Mechanical Contractors Association is the first of its kind for the local industry.

“This approval is employer and employee-specific, which means anyone hired can only work on that one job at that one location until that work is done,” Thomas said.

While the government has given approval for the hiring, each of the companies now needs to find the skilled tradespeople to fill the positions.

Thomas said that the union is working with its counterpart in upper Michigan, where many tradespeople are currently unemployed and it’s believed that the skilled workers will travel for the jobs.

Employment is subject to immigration approval, health and safety training and verification of credentials.

The employers are hoping to have the workers in place by month end.

“We’re hoping this fills the gaps,” Thomas said.

“We simply don’t have the people. The industry is busy locally right now and we can’t let this hospital project fall behind.”

Companies have been advertising for tradesmen throughout the country for months and response has been very limited, Thomas said.

“We have a shortage of plumbers and pipefitters country wide and we need to keep up with the projects,” he said.

Similar applications for foreign workers have been made by S & T Electrical Company, for electricians to fill labour needs at the hospital site.

“The search is on now and we’re hoping we can find qualified people to fill the positions,” he said.

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