[Click to Enlarge] The Canadian Building Trades Monument was unveiled by Prime Minster Justin Trudeau at Majors Hill Park in the Nations capital in May 2017

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After building Canada for over 150 years, construction workers have been honoured with a monument in Ottawa looking towards the Parliament Buildings. The Canadian Building Trades Monument recognizes the accomplishments of the people who build and maintain the Canadian infrastructure and commemorates the ones that have been lost due to a workplace accident or exposure.

This monument was envisioned by International Vice President Joseph Maloney. While he was Chair of the Canadian Building Trades, IVP Maloney promoted and raised funds for the monument. It was fabricated in Ontario with Cambrian black granite from Quebec. It features two plumb bobs, a tool that has been used by construction workers since building began, and is surrounded by black granite "tools of the trades", each engraved with the name of a trade and the trade tool. For the Boilermakers, a rolling gun is depicted.

[Click to Enlarge] The Monument overlooks the Canadian Parliament Building and the Rideau Canal

[Click to Enlarge] Top of the Boilermaker Tool Box - Rolling Gun

The monument is erected in Majors Hill Park near the foundation of the home of Lieutenant-Colonel John By (Royal Engineers) who supervised the construction of the Rideau Canal, Canada's first mega project that was started in 1826 and finished in 1832. Close to a thousand workers lost their lives during the construction of the canal, mainly due to disease.

The monument was designed by sculptor John Greer and architect Brian Mackay-Lyons of Halifax.