By Kate Walsh
THE TERM JOURNEYMAN or journeyperson is defined as a worker who has learned a trade and works for another person, usually by the day, and dates back to the 14th century. The term “journeyman years” referred to a time when, after completing an apprenticeship, a worker would travel from town to town over the course of a few years to gain experience and knowledge of their craft. While times have changed, the reality for the traveling journeyperson in Canada has not, which is an argument being made by Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU). “Jobs in the construction industry are cyclical – projects arise, are built and completed in different locations at different times and require skilled trades workers that may not live locally,” said CBTU executive director Sean Strickland. “Often times, if expenses aren’t covered by an employer, workers have to pay out of pocket to cover their travel and accommodations. The way the Income Tax Act is set up right now, unlike other professionals, skilled trades workers can’t deduct these expenses from their income. It’s an unfair tax consequence.” CBTU commissioned a report estimating the financial projections of implementing a Skilled Trades Workforce Mobility Tax Deduction earlier this year. The independent report, conducted by accounting firm Hendry Warren, indicated that on average, it costs a construction worker over $4,000 to temporarily relocate for work. This is one of the largest barriers to construction worker mobility. It found Ottawa would save $347 million per year by implementing such a tax deduction, putting more Canadians to work, reducing EI payments, and increasing tax revenues. Additionally, the average worker will save $2,532 a year in temporary relocation efforts. “These days, I pay lots of out-of-pocket expenses for my work. While I am permanently based in southern British Columbia, I currently work in northern B.C.,” said Tim Lucht, a member of the Labourers International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 1611. “While I’ll always be ready to adapt to tough work situations, some type of government support such as a tax deduction for my travel work expenses would be very helpful.” The federal government has recently made a series of infrastructure investment announcements that will require a skilled and mobile workforce as the country moves beyond the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on a strong economic recovery.
“We have pockets of high unemployment in certain regions and an abundance of work in others. We need to remove the cost barrier that makes it prohibitive for workers to travel for work to address labour shortages and get Canadians to work,” said Strickland. CBTU has set up a campaign website at building2021.ca for those in the construction industry to send a letter to their local Member of Parliament and all party leaders to support a Skilled Trades Workforce Mobility tax deduction and are asking workers to share their story using the hashtag #OnTheRoad.
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