Building Up and CLEAResult: Renovating opportunities in Toronto
CLEAResult Canada is working with a Toronto social enterprise to help transform energy efficiency retrofits into a pathway out of poverty, and a model for inclusive economic development.
Construction cranes tower over Toronto’s skyline, signaling a city under constant construction and a growing need for skilled tradespeople. With tens of thousands of social housing units managed by the Toronto Community Housing Corporation, Canada’s largest landlord, opportunities are emerging to pair energy-efficient retrofits with workforce training. It’s a simple but powerful idea: empowering residents to help rebuild the very homes they live in.
“With energy efficiency upgrades, you’re trying to stop the heat from leaking out of a building,” said Marc Soberano, Founder and Executive Director of the Toronto social enterprise Building Up. “But what about the potential income that is leaking out of those communities when people face barriers to getting good jobs?”
An enterprise much needed by the community
This blueprint for more fairness in construction started as a nonprofit initiative in Winnipeg called BUILD INC. (Building Urban Industries for Local Development). After spending three weeks shadowing the Winnipeg team and learning the tools of this particular trade, Soberano felt that a similar nonprofit in the business of building careers “just needed to exist” in Toronto. The country’s largest city has immense public housing infrastructure, a unionized trades sector that pays well, and thousands of residents eager for opportunity.
Building Up broke ground in 2015, launching as a training program that blends classroom training with hands-on job site experience. The social enterprise contractor also offers counselling, coaching, and mentorship to people caught in cycles of systemic inequity.
“Our goal is to become the contractor for social housing communities and affordable homes,” says Adam Zweig, Building Up’s Director of Social Enterprise, “because ultimately, we’re hiring folks from those communities. They understand the challenges better than most.”
Focusing initially on plumbing, Building Up expanded into many areas of general construction over the years. Increasingly, the nonprofit contractor is exploring energy efficiency and green builds. They currently offer training in insultation techniques and energy assessments, and are exploring adding heat pump installation. Training is provided in a clean, but not overly spacious centre edged with building and renovation supplies, tools and safety equipment. Building Up is currently fundraising to create a new, larger training space; their participants will, of course, do the renos.
Proudly partnering on energy efficiency
But training is only one side of the hard hat – you need construction and retrofit companies ready to hire. When it comes to equity work in the housing sector, where does the rubber hit the road? Or more appropriately, the insulation hit the wall?
Fortunately, Toronto Community Housing, construction companies, and union locals are employing Building Up graduates. And in the energy efficiency retrofit space, CLEAResult Canada has been a key partner since 2022. Delivering energy efficiency services across Canada for nearly four decades, we are a trusted delivery agent of programs like the IESO’s Energy Affordability Program (EAP) and Enbridge’s Home Winterproofing. It made sense (and cents) for us to work with Building Up on social housing as well as low- and moderate-income household retrofits.
We engage Building Up as an energy efficiency subcontractor just like any other. Building Up crews perform energy audits, install insulation, and deliver energy-savings upgrades to lower-income households. But this isn’t charity; Building Up is competitive and effective.
“Their work is very high quality,” says Mujtaba Mohammed, CLEAResult Canada’s Program Manager for Contractor Management. “Their staff treats the customers well, and they deal with us in a very professional manner.”
We also recognize the value Building Up brings through its deep ties to social housing communities. The nonprofit helps us find more low- and moderate-income clients to serve while also providing a ready-to-go workforce. In turn, we offer consistent job sites that help Building Up train and place more participants. It’s a true ‘win-win’ scenario.
Rigorous selection, intensive training
“CLEAResult has been great to work with, from start to finish,” says Dominic Long, the Insulation Project Manager at Building Up. “I hope we can do even more work with them. We have a pretty awesome group of people coming through our organization, so it’s gratifying to see them on CLEAResult job sites.”
The foundation of the success has been the rigorous selection process for Building Up participants. Each year, the social enterprise receives over 4,000 applications while only accepting about 100 people. Those selected undergo eight weeks of intensive training, learning trades-focused math, tool handling, and construction basics.
The curriculum, however, goes far beyond technical skills. Every trainee is paired with a career case manager, a financial coach, and even a therapist. They’re paid for their time in class and supported through personal challenges that might otherwise derail their progress. The goal isn’t just to teach someone how to swing a hammer – it’s to prepare them for a sustainable career.
Creating real impact in people’s lives
Names written in marker on a chockfull whiteboard in Building Up’s office tracks the alumni placed with union locals and construction companies. One of those success stories is Kehinde Otegbade, a Nigerian who came to Canada with his family as refugees in 2023. Back home, he was a realtor and his wife a journalist, but their credentials didn’t translate to their new country. Referred to Building Up by a case worker, Otegbade earned his spot through a competitive interview process. He trained in plumbing and carpentry, before joining the insulation team. After successful stints with private companies, Building Up welcomed him back for his skills, tenacity, and the inspiration he brings to others. Otegbade has even added heat reflector installation behind old radiators to his expanding toolbox.
“It’s not easy,” says Otegbade. “You need to work for it – you have to be strong and be able to handle some heat. But for me, it’s been life changing. I want it to be the same for others.”
With more than 900 trained alumni and a core staff of 45, Building Up is proving that construction can be more than bricks and mortar, it can be the footing for equity, opportunity, and transformation. And we are proud to contribute to the on-the-ground impact. We continue working together to help redefine what retrofits can mean – not just for buildings, but for people.