NETCO - National Electrical Trade Council

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NETCO - National Electrical Trade Council

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We are the authoritative, pan-Canadian voice of electrical contractors and IBEW local unions across Canada.

We are an alliance of the Canadian Electrical Contractors Association and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (Canada). NETCO's mandate is to promote national standards in electrical skills training and to advocate on policy issues of importance to our partner organizations. NETCO works to develop training standards for new technologies -for example Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and PV Solar - that are used across Canada. NETCO is a robust advocate for the electrical industry on pending changes to Canada's Red Seal Program. Our funding Partners are:

Joint Electrical Promotions Plan - JEPP
IBEW Construction Council of Ontario (CCO)
ECA Ontario
IBEW Local 105
IBEW Local 115
IBEW Local 120
IBEW Local 303
IBEW Local 353
IBEW Local 402
IBEW Local 530
IBEW Local 586
IBEW Local 773
IBEW Local 804
IBEW Local 1687

Electrical Industry Training Centres
IBEW Local 424
ECAA

Electrical Joint Training Committee (EJTC)
ECA British Columbia
IBEW Local 213

WJETS - The Western Joint Electrical training society
IBEW Local 230
IBEW Local 993
IBEW Local 1003

IBEW LOCALS FROM ACROSS CANADA
IBEW Local 37
IBEW Local 502
IBEW Local 625
IBEW Local 1555
IBEW Local 1620
IBEW Local 1928
IBEW Local 2038
IBEW Local 2067
IBEW Local 2085
IBEW Local 2330
IBEW LOCAL 2166

10/26/2026

We were pleased to attend Peter Reed's annual Bowling tournament today with industry friends including IBEW Local 353 and members of the Canada's Building Trades Unions among others. Thank you for a great morning of networking and friendship.

10/26/2026

The Red Seal Completion Bonus is part of the Government of Canada’s $8 billion Team Canada Strong investment, which aims to recruit, train, and hire 80,000 to 100,000 new Red Seal trades workers in the next five years. The Team Canada Strong initiative will create new opportunities for the next generation while supporting a stronger, more resilient country for years to come.

As part of the Team Canada Strong initiative, journeypersons who completed an apprenticeship and obtained certification in a designated Red Seal trade on or after April 1, 2025, can apply for a $5,000 completion bonus as of November 16, 2026. Follow the link for more details!

Canada needs more skilled trades workers to build homes, strengthen critical infrastructure and support major economic and defence projects. To help meet this growing demand, the Government of Canada is making a generational investment in supports for the skilled trades.

10/24/2026

10/22/2026

Today, NETCO Executive Director Chris Swick appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) to speak on Bill C-266 – the National Framework on Skilled Trades and Labour Mobility Act.

While NETCO supports the intent of the legislation, Chris emphasized that true labour mobility must begin at the apprenticeship level.

Apprentices shouldn't have to repeat training or lose valuable progress simply because they cross a provincial border.

Harmonizing credentials is important. Harmonizing the training that leads to those credentials is essential.

We're proud to bring the perspectives of our electrical industry partners to the national conversation and advocate for a stronger, more consistent apprenticeship system across Canada.

🎥 Watch a clip from today's testimony below!
https://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20261022/-1/45945?mediaStartTime=20261022110607&mediaEndTime=20261022111100&viewMode=3&globalStreamId=14

10/15/2026

Let's get building 👷‍♂️ !

10/09/2026

Thank you Theo and everyone that participated in this train the trainer! We had reps from IBEW Local 1852 , IBEW Local 625, Electrical Joint Training Committee, Western JETS and the Electrical Industry Training Centres Of Alberta! We appreciate your engagement and look forward to you rolling out this exciting training.

10/06/2026

The NETCO team is on the road today, training the best!

In Fredericton, NB, we’re at IBEW Local 37 hosting a Power Line Technician Drone Training class, bringing innovative technology and hands-on training directly to the trade.

Meanwhile, in Sudbury, ON, another part of our team is at NORCAT hosting the Train the Trainer session for our brand-new VR Instrumentation Program!

With participants joining us from **across the country**, it’s exciting to see these programs come to life and the enthusiasm for what’s next.

We’re looking forward to rolling out this training and much more to our IBEW Canada partners across the country!

09/30/2026

Today, NETCO joins Canadians across the country in observing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

We honour the children who never returned home, the Survivors of residential schools, their families, and Indigenous communities.

Today is a day to listen, learn, reflect, and recognize that reconciliation is a responsibility we all share.

09/29/2026

Testimonial Tuesday! For more information about training programs available to our funding partner locals, visit our website! Thank you to IBEW Local 105 Training Centre for sending along the great feedback about our VET 2 Virtual Reality Conduit Bending Program! https://netco.org/netco-training-programs

09/25/2026

On behalf of the National Electrical Trade Council (NETCO), our Board of Directors and our training partners across Canada, I am pleased to congratulate Matt Wayland on his election as Canadian International Vice President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

With his election as International Vice President, Matt will also assume the role of President of NETCO, and we look forward to working alongside him as we continue to advance electrical training, innovation and opportunities for IBEW members across Canada.

Matt brings a wealth of experience, leadership and a strong commitment to the skilled trades to this role. We are excited about what lies ahead for NETCO under his leadership.

I would also like to recognize and thank outgoing International Vice President and NETCO President Russ Shewchuk for his leadership, dedication and many years of service to the IBEW, NETCO and electrical workers across Canada. We wish Russ all the very best in his next chapter.

Congratulations, Matt. We look forward to working together and continuing to build on NETCO’s strong foundation.

Chris Swick
Executive Director
National Electrical Trade Council

Address

PO Box 4626, PO MAIN
Rothesay, NB
E2E5X3

Website

http://netco.org/

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