Boilermakers Local 146

What Boilermakers Local 146 does

Boilermakers Lodge 146 is a chartered local of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, established in 1948 and headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, representing boilermakers, welders, riggers, and fitters across the province. It functions as both a labor union (collective bargaining, dues, benefits and pension administration) and a workforce-development organization, operating a structured apprenticeship pipeline that includes ARIS recruitment seminars, the WorkSmart pre-apprenticeship course, NAIT/SAIT-delivered technical training, and a jointly run Boilermaker Apprentice Agency with the Boilermaker Contractors Association (BCA). Day-to-day services center on a union dispatch system that matches members to job opportunities via Member and Partner portals, a Jobs/CallOut board, rumour lists, and the Alberta Job Ready Dispatch process, with two staffed physical halls (Edmonton AMTC and Calgary) plus satellite access for Fort McMurray.

The revenue model is dues-funded, supplemented by paid training and certification fees. Members pay recurring dues and death assessments that fund member services, while the Weld Centre and Continued Education programs generate incremental revenue through unit-priced offerings such as the Structured B-Pressure course ($242), CWB testing, Job Steward courses, Fall Protection, and various rigging and supervisor courses, often with no-show penalty fees of $100-$150. Customers fall into two groups: members (the dues-paying workforce, including travel-card members from other IBB locals) and contractor/owner clients in construction, industrial fabrication, and oil-sands maintenance who consume the dispatch service. Distribution is delivered through physical halls, in-person training, online portals, and monthly union meetings; strategic partnerships with NAIT, SAIT, AFL, BCA, the University of Alberta, and 3M Canada anchor both the training pipeline and emerging health-and-safety programming.

Name

Boilermakers Local 146

Legal name

International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 146

Website

https://boilermakers.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Boilermakers Lodge 146 is an Alberta labor union local, established in 1948, that represents boilermakers, welders, fitters, and riggers through job dispatch, apprenticeship training, welding certification testing, and benefits/pension services funded by membership dues and course fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor Union Services (Skilled Trades)

akta.pro primary industry

Boilermaking, Pressure Vessels & Tank Fabrication Training (EDAOADAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pipe Welding & Industrial Piping Fabrication Training (EDAOADAB), Pipefitting & Steamfitting (EDAOACAB), Hydronics & Boiler Systems (EDAOACAF)

Keywords

• Labor union services
• Apprenticeship training
• Welding certification
• Job dispatch services
• Skilled trades representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Union Membership Dues: Boilermakers Lodge 146 generates revenue through membership dues and death assessments from its members. Members pay ongoing dues to maintain their union membership, which provides access to job dispatch services, training programs, benefits, and pension plans.
2. Training and Certification Services: The organization offers various paid training courses including Structured B Pressure courses ($242), CWB testing, welder certification testing, and other trade-related courses. These generate revenue while providing members with skill development and certification opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Boilermakers Lodge 146 is a chartered local labor union representing professional boilermakers, welders, riggers, and fitters across Alberta, Canada. It provides job dispatch services connecting members with construction, maintenance, and industrial work opportunities; a structured apprenticeship program with WorkSmart pre-employment training and ARIS intake seminars; welding certification testing (CWB, B-Pressure, Alberta Pressure Tickets); and continued education courses for skill advancement. The union also administers benefits, pension, and health and welfare plans for its members.

Product overview

Boilermakers Lodge 146 is a labor union local offering a comprehensive portfolio of services centered on workforce development, training, and employment dispatch for boilermakers, welders, and riggers in Alberta. The organization operates a multi-tiered apprenticeship program with ARIS intake seminars and the WorkSmart pre-employment course, alongside advanced certification programs including B-Pressure and C-Pressure welding courses, Master Rigger training, and specialized trades courses. Core services include job dispatch connecting members with work opportunities, a Weld Centre providing certification testing, and member portal access for job listings and rumour lists. The union also provides ongoing education through continued education courses covering supervision, safety certifications, and skill upgrades.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeship Program Structured apprenticeship program for boilermakers and welders, including intake process (ARIS), skills assessment, WorkSmart pre-employment training, and coordination with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT). Designed for aspiring tradespeople entering the boilermaker or welder trades.
• Job Dispatch Services Employment dispatch services connecting union members with job opportunities across Alberta, including daily job listings, rumour lists for projected work, and travel card dispatch for out-of-province members. Jobs/CallOut system updated daily Monday through Friday.
• Weld Centre and Testing Services Welding certification testing including CWB testing, B-Pressure and C-Pressure tickets, Alberta Pressure Tickets, and specialized testing for out-of-province welders. Provides certification required for union boilermakers and welders.
• WorkSmart Pre-Apprenticeship Training 10-day pre-employment course preparing individuals for boilermaker or welder careers, covering job site hazards, safety attitudes, tools, welding concepts, oxy-acetylene cutting, rigging, and steel fabrication skills.
• ARIS (Apprenticeship Recruitment Information Seminar) Entry seminar for potential apprentices including trade information, essential skills assessment, and drug and alcohol screening required before accessing work sites. Held in Edmonton and Calgary.
• Continued Education Courses Ongoing professional development including Master Rigger certification, Field Supervisor Leadership Training, Job Steward Training, Torque and Tensioning, Bundle Puller, Overhead Crane Operator, Fall Protection, Confined Space Entry, and Introductory TIG Training.
• Member Portal Online portal for members to access job listings, register for dispatch, view rumour lists, and manage their membership accounts. Available at memberportal.boilermakers.ca.
• Benefits and Pension Services Health and welfare benefits, pension plans, and union membership support services for members. Includes plan administration support via [email protected] and 1-800-668-7547 ext. 296.
• Structured B-Pressure Course Intensive course helping welders prepare for ABSA Initial Pressure exam (GTAW Root Pass / SMAW Fill and Cap Pass) through theory, instructor demonstrations, and practice time. Offered as day and night courses at $242.00.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL)coreOthersLodge 146 is affiliated with the Alberta Federation of Labour, a provincial labour federation that provides support, advocacy, and resources for union members in Alberta.
• NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAIT provides apprenticeship education and training support. Lodge 146 refers members to NAIT for academic advising, learning services support, and disability-related employment program referrals.
• SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAIT provides apprenticeship and technical training for boilermakers and welders in southern Alberta. Lodge 146 directs members to SAIT for technical training and education.
• Boilermaker Contractors Association (BCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCA contractors work jointly with union representatives to manage the Boilermaker Apprentice Agency established in 1978. The Agency ensures apprentices receive well-rounded training and tracks apprentice hours, progress, and industry demands.
• Operating Engineers Local 955 HallminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocated at 258 Gregoire Drive, Fort McMurray, AB T9H 4K6. Members in Fort McMurray can join monthly union meetings via satellite from this location.
• University of AlbertaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Boilermakers have been working with a research team from the University of Alberta to monitor exposure to welding fumes and its health impacts on welders. Participation supports improved health outcomes for Canadian skilled trades workers.
• 3M CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner3M and Boilermakers Lodge 146 co-presented a welding fume respiratory hazards seminar focusing on health concerns and respiratory protection controls for welders.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• United Steelworkers (USW): Large industrial union representing workers in steel, metals, and related trades. Comparable to Lodge 146 as a union organizing skilled industrial workers in overlapping sectors, including fabrication and pressure-vessel work.
• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (parent): Parent organization of Lodge 146. Directly comparable as the governing body issuing the lodge's charter, providing national collective bargaining, and coordinating cross-lodge Travel Card dispatch — exactly the model the local operates within.

Direct peers

• Boilermakers Lodge 128 (Philadelphia): Another local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers operating in the U.S. Northeast. Same trade (boilermakers/welders/riggers), same dispatch model, same apprenticeship structure — the most direct operational analog to Lodge 146.
• United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters & Service Techs (UA): Major North American building trades union with overlapping membership in welding, pipefitting, and pressure-vessel work. Comparable as a peer skilled-trades union running apprenticeship intake, certification courses, and dispatch for industrial construction trades.
• United Association Local 488 (Pipefitters): Alberta pipefitters local with overlapping industrial maintenance and shutdown work. Comparable to Lodge 146 as a co-located trade union running dispatch, B-Pressure training, and apprenticeship intake in the same Alberta industrial sites.
• Ironworkers Local 720: Alberta ironworkers local representing structural and reinforcing ironworkers. Comparable as a co-located craft union serving the same Alberta industrial construction and shutdown projects with its own dispatch and apprenticeship programs.

Regional players

• Alberta Building Trades Council: Provincial body coordinating affiliated craft unions in Alberta, including boilermakers, ironworkers, and pipefitters. Operates in the same Alberta labour market and coordinates dispatch and apprenticeship oversight, making it a direct regional peer.
• Operating Engineers Local 955: Operating engineers local already partnered with Lodge 146 (satellite meeting access in Fort McMurray). Comparable as a co-located Alberta trade union sharing dispatch and project work in oil sands and industrial construction.
• Boilermakers Lodge 105 (Hamilton): Canadian boilermaker lodge primarily serving Ontario industrial fabrication shops. Comparable trade and dispatch model; relevant as a regional peer that demonstrates the same programs in a different Canadian geography.

Others

• Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT): Provincial regulator/government body that certifies boilermaker and welder apprentices in Alberta. Comparable as an ecosystem participant that co-delivers apprenticeship technical training used by Lodge 146's apprenticeship pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boilermakers-local-146

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Boilermakers Local 146