To help address the driver shortage in Alberta, the provincial government allocated $2.8 million over the next two years to help Women Building Futures (WBF) program provide necessary training and connections to attract more women to the industry.
In 2022-2023, the province committed $40 million over four years to provide commercial driver training grants to unemployed and underemployed Albertans.
“Our province is stronger when more women are in the driver’s seat, and through funding like this, we can help women gain meaningful employment,” said Tanya Fir, minister of arts, culture and status of women, in a press release.
Of the $2.8-million grant to WBF, $1.3 will be allocated in 2023-2024, and the rest of the funds between 2024 and 2025.
Alberta allocated $2.8m to train and recruit more women into the trucking industry (Photo: X)
Currently, women represent only 2.9% of commercial truckers in Alberta, which is below the national rate of 4%. There are approximately 4,260 transport truck driver job vacancies in the province.
This impacts the supply chain and creates inflationary pressures, said Devin Dreeshen, minister of transportation and economic corridors.
“By providing grants to support organizations like Women Building Futures, we can help people get good-paying jobs and alleviate critical shortages in trucking,” he added.
Last year, WBF reported 18 programs delivered in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and 188 program graduates with 87% of them finding employment in fields related to their training within six months of graduating.
