Ontario Power Generation is expanding Durham skilled trades training and recruitment tied to major projects in Pickering, Clarington, Oshawa and Whitby as the province prepares for rising electricity demand.
The utility says about half of its workforce is employed in skilled trades across facilities provincewide. Demand is expected to remain strong as work continues on the Darlington New Nuclear Project, preparations advance for refurbishment of Pickering Nuclear Generating Station units 5 through 8, and other generating infrastructure is renewed.
Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator projects provincial electricity demand will grow by 65 per cent by 2050. OPG says it is not currently experiencing a trades shortage, but is working with schools, colleges, unions and contractors to ensure trained workers are available as projects move ahead.
Trades expected to be important for construction and major projects include electricians, labourers, carpenters, pipefitters, boilermakers, ironworkers, operating engineers and insulators.
Several parts of the workforce strategy have a direct Durham connection. OPG’s partnership with the Durham Catholic District School Board, the CWB Welding Foundation, UA Canada locals and construction employers helps high school students earn recognized welding qualifications that can accelerate entry into apprenticeships or jobs.
OPG is also part of WattNext with the Ontario Science Centre and Ontario Tech University. WattNext is scheduled to hold a Nuclear Career Expo at the shared Ontario Tech University and Durham College campus in Oshawa on October 27.
At Durham College, OPG supports pre-apprenticeship training through a partnership with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers. Training at the college’s Whitby campus covers several trades and includes paid placements.
The Ontario Power Generation Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology at Durham College opened in 2022 with a $5-million OPG investment. The facility increased the college’s trades and apprenticeship training capacity by 750 students and supports programs including electrical engineering technician, mechanical technician and power engineering.
OPG’s broader approach also includes apprenticeships, paid co-op and internship placements, supplier workforce planning, and efforts to retain and redeploy nuclear-qualified workers between major projects.
Preparation work is underway for the Pickering refurbishment, which is intended to extend the station’s operating life by more than 30 years. At Darlington, construction is underway on the first commercial small modular reactor in the G7, while the refurbishment of Unit 4 was recently completed four months ahead of schedule and $150 million under budget.
Together, those projects are expected to keep skilled-trades recruitment and training prominent across Durham Region for years.
Source
Daily Commercial News: OPG strengthens skilled trades pipeline as Ontario’s energy demand grows, published October 14, 2026.
