The Manitoba government has signed its first Manitoba jobs agreement (MJA) with Manitoba Building Trades to create good jobs in the province through construction of four new schools, Premier Wab Kinew announced today.

“Manitoba workers are the driving force of our economy,” said Kinew. “We’re creating Manitoba jobs for Manitobans, by making sure that our province is built with good, family-supporting jobs in the trades. This starts with putting Manitobans to work to build four new schools to the highest standards for our kids.”

The MJA to build kindergarten to Grade 8 schools is the first step in establishing a new policy to support local labour on major public infrastructure projects $50 million and above across the province, the premier said. The agreement ensures contractors prioritize Manitoba workers and sets standards for wages, benefits and working conditions. It also includes targets for apprenticeship hours to support workforce development while delivering projects on time and on budget, noted the premier.

“This is a win for Manitoba workers and for our entire industry,” said Tanya Palson, executive director, Manitoba Building Trades. “We’re proud to work with the Manitoba government to make sure our public infrastructure projects are built at the highest standard, while creating good-quality jobs for workers across the province.”

The MJA will apply to all contractors and workers involved in the school construction projects. The policy will apply to large construction projects funded by the Manitoba government.

The four new schools project will see two built in Winnipeg in the Devonshire Park and Prairie Pointe neighborhoods, one in West St. Paul’s Meadowlands neighborhood, and one in southwest Brandon.