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Big and exciting developments are underway in Canada’s unionized construction industry, signaling strong growth, major investments and new opportunities across the country.

One standout moment reflecting this momentum was the welcoming of General President Michael Coleman and General Secretary-Treasurer John Daniel to our Canadian Convention, where they had the opportunity to meet with local leaders and witness our talented appren­tices showcase their craft during the highly antici­pated skills competition.

SMART Canada is also celebrating the recent mobilization of over 450 members to support Local 235 in Windsor for the Stellantis electric vehicle battery plant megaproject, one of the largest green energy projects in the country. At the project’s peak, more than 950 SMART members were on site, demonstrating our union’s capacity to rapidly scale up a skilled workforce to meet the industry’s demand. Our signatory contractor, Lancaster, was particularly impressed with the efficiency and impact of the mobilization, which showcased SMART’s reputation as a reliable partner in delivering complex and high-profile projects.

We are building on this megaproject momentum as Canada’s newly elected prime minister, Mark Carney, successfully passed Bill C-5, An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility Act and the Building Canada Act. This legislation will provide the regulatory reform that Canada’s Building Trades Unions have been advocating for to expedite the construction of major projects. Projects deemed in the national interest will have a reduced approval time, from five years to two years, enabling thousands of SMART members to access jobsites more quickly and provide long-term job stability and economic benefits to our members and their families.

As the nation continues to prioritize sustainability and nation-building projects, there will be an increased focus on green energy projects, which SMART is fully prepared to support with a skilled, job-ready workforce. Through a recent $8.9 million investment in federal funding, more than 2,000 SMART members will be able to upgrade their skills through training curricula and online learning tools focused on the future of clean technology. This funding announcement is a sign that Canada’s federal government sees SMART workers as key to building Canada’s future.

Another key invest­ment in the skilled trades, and in SMART specifi­cally, is the Government of Ontario’s funding of over $1 million to build a training centre in Thunder Bay at Local 397. This invest­ment will support the construction of a dedicated facility for sheet metal workers and roofers, with the capacity to train and upskill 760 individuals over a five-year period through pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships.

This investment is a testament to SMART’s strong and collaborative relationships with all levels of govern­ment, reflecting the recognition that labour unions play a critical role in expanding career opportunities, driving economic growth and delivering state-of-the-art training. Together, we are helping to create a stronger skilled trades workforce across Canada.

As we continue to strengthen our relationships with provincial and federal governments, we are growing in capacity, preparing for increased work opportunities and building a stronger, more secure future together.

In solidarity,

Jack Wall

Director of Canadian Affairs

Sisters and brothers,

My name is Jack Wall, and I’m honoured to have been appointed director of Canadian affairs for SMART in December 2024. It’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly, and I’m proud to follow in the footsteps of those who served before me. Like them, I’ll work hard every day to represent our members and do what’s best for our union.

We’re at an important moment — not just for SMART Canada, but for the broader labour movement across North America. This year has already brought significant political changes and new challenges. Ongoing tariffs continue to impact our sheet metal, roofing and production sectors here at home and for our SMART brothers and sisters in the United States. But beyond the headlines, your Canadian staff is pushing forward — advocating, organizing and working to strengthen the future of our locals from coast to coast. Despite the challenges we face, I firmly believe the future is bright for SMART members.

Years of advocacy at all levels of government have resulted in real, concrete wins — from funding grants to labour-friendly language in clean energy legislation. These achievements didn’t happen by chance — they’re the result of hard work, persistence and unity. Now, we need to build on that momentum. That means growing our capacity and continuing to invest in the future of our members.

Over the past year, and with the full support of SMART leadership, we’ve added key resources to help us make progress — both politically and publicly — across Canada. I’m pleased to welcome two new staff members to our dedicated team:

Bob Gougeon, former business manager and financial secretary-treasurer of Local 285 in Toronto, has joined as our new International representative for government affairs and megaprojects. Bob brings years of experience and a strong understanding of what our locals need on the ground.

Aidan Strickland, previously director of communications for Helmets to Hardhats Canada, is our new communications specialist. She will help raise SMART’s public profile and share the stories and successes of our members in a variety of forums.

Together, our Canadian team brings the knowledge, experience and energy we need to keep moving forward. I’m confident we’re stronger with them onboard — and that their work will make a meaningful difference for members from coast to coast to coast.

I also want to acknowledge the continued uncertainty caused by shifting tariff policies. I know the toll this takes on our industries, our locals and our families. But I also know that General President Michael Coleman has been clear: Canadian locals and members have his full support. His commitment to unity across borders — Canadian and American alike — remains one of our greatest strengths. I share that commitment, and I know it will carry us through whatever comes next.

As we look ahead to the rest of 2025 and beyond, we’ll stay proactive — whether it’s organizing in our communities or working with officials at every level of government to advance our cause. You have my word: I, along with the rest of the Canadian staff, will give everything we’ve got to secure a strong future for SMART members across this country.

In solidarity,

Jack Wall

Director of Canadian Affairs

In November 2024, the SMART General Executive Council voted to appoint longtime SMART leader Jack Wall as the new director of Canadian Affairs, the latest step in a journey spent advocating for workers in provinces and territories across Canada.

“Brother Jack Wall has dedicated his life to advocating for the workers who make up our industry,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman. “With his four decades of knowledge in the sheet metal industry, we look forward to Jack’s leadership in Canada and wish him great success in his new role.”

Brother Wall began his career as a sheet metal worker with Local 56 (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia) 38 years ago. He began serving his fellow union members as recording secretary in 1990 and held that position through 2005, when he became business manager and financial secretary-treasurer. Over the next 19 years, he dramatically increased membership diversity at the young and growing local, demonstrating a commitment to the values of our union.

On October 1, 2021, Wall was elected to the SMART General Executive Council; after nearly three years serving on the GEC, he became an International representative in 2024, working in that capacity until his appointment as director of Canadian Affairs.

Throughout his career, Wall has sat on various boards and councils, including on the Nova Scotia Construction Sector Council and the executive board of the Canadian Council of Sheet Metal Workers and Roofers since 2008. He serves as the president of the Cape Breton Island Building and Construction Trades Council, has been a member on the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Committee for the last 16 years, and has sat as a trustee to the Local Union & Council Pension Fund since 2018. He is a sitting member of the Nova Scotia Labour Board and has been listening to hearings since 2019. And in March 2024, he was appointed as the SMART delegate to the General Presidents’ Maintenance Committee for Canada & National Maintenance Council for Canada (GPMC/NMC).

As SMART’s new director of Canadian Affairs, Wall will work closely with International staff, local union officers and more to support our union’s efforts to organize and grow, from Vancouver to Toronto to St. John’s (and everywhere in between).

It’s an exciting time to be a sheet metal worker, a roofer and a trade unionist in Canada, and I’m honored to be given the opportunity to serve our members as the new director of Canadian Affairs,” Wall said. “To every single member of this great labour organization: I will work tirelessly to represent you to the best of my abilities.”