Teamsters Local 213 has opened a new 13,000 sq.-ft, training facility in Chilliwack, B.C., designed to prepare the province’s next generation of truck drivers and warehousing professionals.

Located on a three-acre property at 7984 Venture Place, the site features three classrooms, multiple driving simulators, and ample space for hands-on instruction, according to a news release. Programs will cover commercial driving, warehousing, and health and safety. While most courses are geared toward Local 213 members, the commercial driving program will also be open to the public.

“We wanted to raise the bar on the quality and range of training available in the industry, and this school gives us the opportunity to do just that,” said Konrad Sears, administrator of the Teamsters 213 Training School.

The initiative comes as B.C. continues to grapple with a shortage of experienced truck drivers.

According to principal officer Tony Santavenere, the new school will offer more than classroom instruction. He said the goal is to give students a clear pathway into solid jobs in trucking, warehousing, and construction. “High-caliber training should connect directly to high-caliber employment, and that’s exactly what we’re building here,” he explained.

It’s the first time since the 1980s that Teamsters 213 has operated its own physical training center. The property includes both paved and gravel training areas: one section will be used for commercial driver’s license training, while the gravel yard will accommodate off-road equipment such as rock trucks and front-end loaders.

Once fully operational, the Chilliwack site is expected to become the largest Teamsters training school in Western Canada.

The project is a joint venture with LiUNA Local 1611, bringing together the two unions’ expertise to develop the center and deliver a wide range of training programs.