Shipping in foreign workers

P.E.I. shipbuilding facility owners report difficulty filling their production crews locally

Prince Edward Island boat builders are turning to Immigration P.E.I. for help in recruiting workers.

Colleen Avery, office manager at Doucette Fiberglass Boatbuilders in Miminegash, said the company has been trying for a long time to get to full production but can’t get enough workers. “Right now, we have seven (workers) in the shop and we’d prefer probably 12,” she said.

Avery said a fisherman placing an order at Doucette Fiberglass Boatbuilders for a new boat is looking at a wait of five to six years, but she suggested they could cut probably a year off that wait if they had a full crew.

“Now we’re looking at immigration.”

Grant Sweet, director of training with Skills P.E.I., said his department has assisted the boat builders with several programs intended to attract new employees. A recent fibreglass lamination training program, funded through Innovation P.E.I., attracted 10 participants but not all of them finished the program.

This left boat shops across the province far short of the 30-40 workers needed to fill all available positions.

Sweet said Skills P.E.I. agreed to work with the Rural Action Centre in Alberton and with Immigration P.EI. to see what can be done to recruit foreign workers.

Meanwhile, the wait for new boats from that shop has grown to seven years.

“We were hoping to have them by now, but I guess, like anything, it takes time,” said Avery.

Wherever the workers come from, Sweet said a proper vetting process will have to be completed before the workers can come in.

“There’s no jumping the queue,” he said.