The following article first appeared on October 16, 2025, in The Hill Times.
The Carney government is properly seized with the rapid delivery of national projects, all to secure Canada’s economic sovereignty as our US trade relationship totters.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Carney announced the first projects to be reviewed under the new Major Projects Office: LNG Canada Phase 2, the Darlington New Nuclear Project, critical minerals developments, port infrastructure, and renewable energy.
Almost always, these national projects are discussed in terms of “brick-and-mortar” infrastructure.
These initiatives are essential to Canada’s economic sovereignty. However, they will only succeed if matched by equally ambitious investments in skills development and workforce readiness.
Canada invests significant energy and resources in infrastructure — and for good reason. Our national resources generate about 12% of GDP, while manufacturing and construction add another significant share. These are vital enterprises, but they represent only part of the picture. Canada’s services sector, powered by people and their skills, accounts for roughly 75% of GDP.
Recently, governments across the country have made significant investments in workforce development. This momentum is encouraging, and must continue, or we risk leaving billions in productivity and innovation untapped, with talent sidelined instead of contributing to the industries that need them most.
Canada’s prosperity also depends on ensuring that all Canadians are equipped to contribute to it. The only way to make this possible is by providing people with the skills they need to seize opportunities in the industries driving our future.
When we talk about national projects to secure our economic sovereignty, it is important that we talk about our people as much as our ports. As Minister Evan Solomon emphasized at the ALL IN conference in Montreal this past week, “It has never been more important to give people … the power to build the economy.”
When Canadians have access to the most up-to-date skills training, it opens the door to prosperous careers. That means programs aligned with today’s market needs, paired with lifelong learning opportunities that help workers remain productive and adaptable.
Preserving Canada’s economic sovereignty requires a comprehensive, nationwide approach to both workforce training and upskilling in critical fields. Think national training sprints in AI, cybersecurity, robotics, and other high-demand domains.
Models already exist. Upskill Canada, for example, has supported short-cycle, industry-aligned programs developed by delivery partners, including post-secondary institutions. It is on track to upskill 18,000 workers nationwide by 2026 — proof that Canada can deliver training at scale when funders, training providers, industry, and educators work toward a shared purpose.
Too often, Canada is seen as slow to innovate or scale new approaches. The record shows otherwise: when we align priorities, we can move quickly, achieve strong outcomes, and adapt at the pace of change. The takeaway is clear: when government, industry, and training pull in the same direction, Canada delivers.
Our post-secondary institutions also demonstrate adaptability, launching programs in record time to meet industry needs. The challenge now is to extend that responsiveness further, especially in the priority sectors identified by the Carney government, so that skills development keeps pace with national ambition.
To secure Canada’s future prosperity, we must direct national ambition toward workforce training. By collaborating at scale and across sectors, this coalition can accelerate training outcomes and enable the mobility that will unlock Canada’s full economic potential.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine workforce development, and Canada can only seize it by acting ambitiously and together. On the evening of his election, Prime Minister Carney declared that Canada’s “old relationship with the US, a relationship based on steadily increasing integration, is over.” As this old order fades, Canada is poised to embark on a new era of national projects to secure our sovereignty.
By putting skills at the centre, we can ensure that Canada’s most valuable resource, its people, are ready to build the future alongside its infrastructure.
Mark Beckles is the CEO of Palette Skills, an organization that powers Upskill Canada, upskilling thousands of workers in high-demand sectors across the country. Charles Finlay is the Founding Executive Director of Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University’s national centre for training, innovation, and collaboration in cybersecurity.