(April 14th, 2026 – SUDBURY, ON) – Community Builders, the leading Construction Employment Social Enterprise in central and northern Ontario, welcomed Minister Piccini into their Sudbury Training Centre as they began a new cohort of their Trades and Diversity Training Program. Established in 2016, Community Builders offers its program in Greater Sudbury, Barrie and Simcoe County, and, with the support of the Skills Development Fund, has expanded to Sault Ste. Marie and the District of Muskoka this year.
Building Homes and Building Futures
Supported in part by the Ontario government, Community Builders provides paid Skilled Trades Training Programs for people with barriers to employment, working to offset the trades labour shortage and moving people into meaningful employment. Four times a year, the organization offers 12-week programs to individuals who are struggling to enter the trades workforce. Graduates are supported in removing barriers to employment while learning job-readiness skills and developing ‘frame to finish’ construction skills. They are equipped with the necessary PPE and Tools, and obtain industry-standard safety certifications to ensure they are ready to build a successful career in the trades. The Program uniquely relies on Community Builders’ professional construction crews to provide trainees with hands-on experience at their active job sites.
“Community Builders is a proud recipient of the Skills Development Fund. We share the Province’s vision to build a resilient workforce,’ says Carly Gasparini, Executive Director. ‘We know that connecting those who most need work with the work that most needs doing is the best way to build a strong economy across Ontario. We are excited to have Minister Piccini visit our shop and grateful for the opportunity to show off this program.”
Community Builders has a 9-year history of providing comprehensive Residential and Commercial Construction services to nearly 20 communities in Ontario. With a focus on affordable and social housing, their services include renovations, apartment turnovers, new construction, and the addition of rental units through innovative projects such as second suites and modular housing. This work provides a training ground for program participants and enables innovative mentorship that can’t occur in a classroom setting.
“The Social Enterprise Model allows us to be extremely self-sufficient when compared with the traditional non-profit model,” says Brandon Day, Founder and CEO. “However, it’s partnerships like this one with SDF that ensure that our Program is successful and has allowed us to grow across Northern and Central Ontario. We would like to continue to expand and bring this model to more communities looking for solutions to the labour gaps.”
“What Community Builders is doing here in Sudbury is exactly what the Skills Development Fund was designed to support, connecting real people with real opportunities in the trades. Ontario needs tens of thousands of skilled workers to build the homes and infrastructure our communities depend on, and funding high-quality training programs like this one is how we rise to that challenge. I’m proud that our government’s investment is helping expand this model across Northern and Central Ontario, because training programs like these are essential for building the future of our province” – David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
About Community Builders:
Community Builders is a leading social enterprise Contractor in Northern and Central Ontario, working hard to solve two of Canada’s biggest issues: the Affordable Housing Crisis and the Skilled Labour Shortage. This dual-purpose organization is making a difference by building homes while also building futures. Community Builders is a thriving construction company offering a wide range of residential and commercial services, including new builds, renovations, apartment turnovers, and maintenance and property management. Its experienced crews focus on building and maintaining affordable housing to high-quality standards. These construction projects fund and support real on-site job training and skills development offered by Community Builders through its 12-week paid Skilled Trades Training programs for individuals with barriers to employment. CB Certified trainees graduate with hands-on construction training, employment readiness skills, safety certifications, tools, and PPE. The program’s effectiveness has been proven, with 89% of our trainees securing good, life-changing jobs after graduation. Community Builders has achieved recognition as a member of the Fair Chances Coalition, Buy Social Canada, and the Ontario Living Wage Network. Download the full 2025 Impact Report to learn more about CB Trainees. www.communitybuilders.co
