Quebec, Hydro-Quebec to invest $250M to train more construction workers

Hydro Quebec workers assess a road following a landslide in Sainte-Monique, Que., northeast of Montreal, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)

Quebec’s education ministry and Hydro-Québec have announced a $250-million investment in training workers needed for the energy transition.

This “unprecedented” partnership will enable the training of more than 5,000 additional students in the coming years, the two organizations said in a press release issued Thursday.

Quebec is seeking to train skilled workers for major energy projects.

Hydro-Québec will invest $100 million, and the education ministry will invest $150 million to enable vocational training centres to accommodate more students, acquire equipment, and modernize their facilities.

The trades that the ministry considers to be priorities in construction are: carpenter-joiner, surveyor, crane operator, and heavy equipment mechanic.

Concrete support is also planned to enable First Nations and Inuit populations to participate fully, if they so wish, in major projects related to the energy transition.

“This partnership demonstrates that education is a powerful driver in providing our students with quality training that opens the door to promising careers,” said Education Minister Bernard Drainville.

“Today, we are laying the foundation for a successful energy transition,” added Hydro-Québec CEO Claudine Bouchard. “Our action plan is ambitious, and to make it a reality, we need women and men who are ready to roll up their sleeves. With this agreement to train the workforce, we are preparing for the future.”

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 21, 2025.