b'REGIONAL SPOTLIGHTThe Call ofTHE NORTH By Gavin JohnT h f e r e a r e p l e n t yK atrina Stiopu has worked as aplace to work supply lines are long, tradesperson in Yellowknifewinters are harsh and a large portion of o f o p p o r t u n i t i e sfor over 15 years, and shejobs rely on the men and women who doesntplanonchangingwork in the trades. o r I n d i g e n o u scareersanytimesoon.As anIndigenouswomanandheavyHowever, labour demand in the trades, t r a d e s p e o p l e i nequipmentoperator,Stiopuhaswhich has always been high, has skyrock-t h e c o u n t r y sovercome many barriers, and shesetedsincethestartoftheCOVID not shy to say shes in the North topandemic, and people are heeding the n o r t h e r n r e g i o n sstay.Imgoingtoworkherenocall. Theres so much work that needs to matter what, Stiopu says with pride.get done, Stiopusays. a n d d e m a n d i sStiopu was the first woman in Canada toworkasanundergroundheavyThousands of job vacancies exist within s h o w i n g n o s i g n sthe trades in Canada today, but no equipmentoperator. o f s l o w i n g d o w n regions feel the strain more than northern The North is a welcoming place for thosecommunities. The landscape is dotted who are attracted by the beauty of thewith smaller cities, massive geographical land, and many stay for the employmentdistances, and harsh weather conditions. opportunities. But it can be a difficultThis makes attracting skilled workers a 16A CCAB PUBLICATION2023'