Trade Winds to Success Training Society’s Residential Construction Outreach Program Gets $600,000 Boost from TD Bank Group
Funding to Help Empower Indigenous Peoples Through Community-Based Carpentry Training
[Edmonton, AB – [February 7, 2025] – Trade Winds to Success Training Society is proud to announce a landmark donation from TD Bank Group, providing $600,000 in funding over the next two years to support the Residential Construction Outreach program. This initiative trains First Nation and Métis community members for rewarding careers in carpentry, while simultaneously addressing housing needs in their communities.
Through this unique program, participants will gain hands-on experience in all facets of the construction trades by constructing eco-smart homes in their respective First Nation or Métis community. Each home will be used to house a community member, ensuring that the benefits of this training extend beyond education to tangible improvements in community infrastructure.
The eco-smart homes built through this initiative will incorporate energy-efficient features, promoting environmental stewardship and sustainable living practices among participants.
The funding will help facilitate eight projects, enabling the training of over 90 students across Alberta. Participants will learn essential skills in carpentry, project management, and sustainable building practices, all while building high-efficiency homes that reflect the values and needs of their communities.
“We’re so proud to help Trade Winds to Success expand this incredible program, providing more Indigenous communities with access to critical skills training and affordable housing,” said Doris Bear, Vice President of Indigenous Banking, TD Bank Group. “Through the TD Ready Commitment, our corporate citizenship platform, we’re supporting community organizations that are focused on rethinking skills development to help nurture a more inclusive economy.”
“Trade Winds to Success is dedicated to providing training opportunities that empower individuals and strengthen communities. “We are thrilled to work with TD on this vital initiative,” said Shannon McCarthy, Executive Director at Trade Winds to Success. “Following the closure of our Calgary office we had to find new ways to serve our community and expanding our Residential Construction Outreach Program was a large part of that. This funding will enable us to create pathways for First Nation and Métis people to access quality training opportunities in their home communities while gaining the skills they need for successful careers in the trades. Indigenous Peoples continue to make significant contributions to Alberta’s economy and workforce, and we are grateful for TD’s investment in our students.
The program is set to launch in spring of 2025 in Indigenous communities in Northern and Southern Alberta. TD and Trade Winds to Success look forward to the positive impact this funding will have on First Nation and Métis communities.
About Trade Winds to Success Training Society Trade Winds to Success Training Society is Alberta’s premiere construction pre-trades training program for Indigenous people. Trade Winds has provided education and employment opportunities to over 3,000 Indigenous Albertans helping to remove barriers and narrow the apprenticeship gap for Indigenous people in the skilled trades.
As an Indigenous-led non-profit, Trade Winds is dedicated to empowering Indigenous people through quality pre-trades training, fostering a skilled workforce ready to contribute to the industry and their communities.
For media inquiries, please contact: Shannon McCarthy Executive Director 587-415-5921 [email protected]
