Prime Minister Mark Carney says it’s a good time to be working in the trades.

His first budget is only a couple of weeks away but in a speech to students last night, he gave a hint of what to expect.

The pace of housing construction will double over the next ten years according to the PM, and he will introduce a “buy Canada” program where we will be our best customer in construction projects.

“New orders for homes, infrastructure and defense equipment will become orders for Canadian suppliers,” he said, “so that the welder in St. John’s can get a full-time job.”

He will announce the next five “nation-building” projects by Grey Cup Sunday. Three mega deals in this province the potential to be embraced in that category: Strange Lake, Gull Island and Bay du Nord.