All about Community Builders

Community Builders, the leading Construction Employment Social Enterprise in central and northern Ontario, has now expanded operations to the District of Sault Ste. Marie. Following is a media release sent to Sault Business Matters that outlines the Community Builders strategy.

With its Managing Director and leadership team in place, and a new headquarters secured, Community Builders can begin the work of its mission: Building with purpose. Reinvesting in Communities. The team is ready to take on construction projects and has opened applications for its April Skilled Trades Training program.

Building Homes and Building Futures

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 adding to the rental unit supply through innovative projects such as second suites and modular housing. Additionally, the enterprise offers property and project management, landscaping and preventative maintenance services.

As a Construction Employment Social Enterprise, Community Builders provides tuition-free, paid Skilled Trades Training for people with barriers to employment, working to offset the trades labour shortage. Four times a year, the organization offers 12-week programs to individuals who are currently underrepresented in the building trades. CB Certified Graduates receive both classroom instruction and on-the-job experience, are equipped with the necessary PPE and Tools, and obtain certifications in WHIMIS, MOL-4step and Working at Heights.

Applications are now open for the first cohort of Sault Ste. Marie’s Skilled Trades and Diversity Training Program. For more information, link here: https://www.communitybuilders.co/community-impact/training-and-employment/

Acknowledging Our Partners

The expansion of Community Builders into Sault Ste. Marie is the result of strong collaboration and a shared vision among local organizations committed to strengthening skilled trades capacity and scaling up housing construction while increasing social impact. Over the past year, Community Builders has worked closely with the City of Sault Ste. Marie, the District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board, and the Sault Community Career Centre, to align initiatives that foster mutual success.

Community Builders also extends sincere thanks to our other key partners, whose support has been vital in bringing this initiative to life. This project was funded in part by:

• The Government of Canada’s Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy (CAS)
  

• The Province of Ontario’s Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream with a purpose to address challenges in hiring, training, or retaining workers, thereby driving economic growth in Ontario.
  The Home Depot Canada Foundation’s TradeWorx provided investment to this organization, helping to empower young people with the skills and certifications needed to secure a living wage and attain permanent housing.
  * Meridian Credit Union for its Reframe program, which helps individuals facing economic barriers join the skilled trades workforce. Reframe is part of Meridian’s broader strategy, “Meridian for Good”, which aims to help people access the money and advice they need, plan for a better future, and be financially confident.

Building our Team

Community Builders is thrilled to announce the hiring of Maggie McGoldrick as the organization’s regional Managing Director. Maggie has built her career at the intersection of education, social services, and community leadership. Most recently, through the Algoma Leadership Table, she worked as Social Equity Coordinator. In this role, Maggie initiated conversations around social procurement, specifically how municipalities and townships can allocate government dollars to generate social value. Community Builders and the region will benefit from her decades of experience and her personal mission to promote social equity, ensuring that people have the supports they need to fully participate, thrive, and succeed in life, education, and work.

“My goal is to help people gain the foundational skills and certifications they need to start careers in the trades and construction sector and move into good-paying jobs, while also addressing the growing demand for reliable contractors to tackle our affordable housing crisis.” Specifically, she says, “I want to help our municipality and region see the real opportunities that social procurement brings, investing local dollars in ways that create lasting social and economic value. Ultimately, I hope to leave behind not just a stronger workforce, but a legacy of quality construction that both our company and community can be proud of.”

“Community Builders is excited to expand into Sault Ste. Marie,” says Co-Founder and CEO, Brandon Day. “We received such a warm welcome from an already innovative community that believes in the Social Enterprise model. We are looking forward to building on that progress to support more meaningful employment and more housing creation to address the growing need for skilled tradespeople and the affordable housing all communities need right now.”

Maggie is pleased to welcome new members to her team: Patrick Renaud as Construction Manager, Shannon Maki as Training Program Manager, and Rick Moore as the Construction Training Facilitator.

Patrick confirmed, “I’m extremely excited to be joining the team as the Construction Manager here at Community Builders, Sault Ste Marie. My many years of construction experience have led me to this unique endeavour. Together, our team will bring a whole new experience and facet to the local construction industry and community.”

Shannon shared, “I have dedicated my career to helping people overcome barriers and achieve thei goals. Community Builders offers a unique opportunity to learn valuable skills to work in the trades in a supportive learning environment. With the challenges our community is facing, it is so exciting to be a part of a team that is committed to impactful change.”

Rick offered his excitement for the role, “My whole career I have tried to balance my trades work life with the non-profit work I have been involved with over the years, and I have finally found a company that brilliantly merged both. I am so excited to be a part of Community Builders and look forward to seeing the future growth and success of the organization and the students.”

Community Builders will soon hire skilled construction workers to lead projects and provide skills training. To apply or learn about other ways to support the organization, visit www.communitybuilders.co.

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. https://www.communitybuilders.co/