Excerpts form a CBC news item found at
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2007/10/09/carberry-brick.html
Manitoba town gives crash course in brick masonry
Tuesday, October 9, 2007 CBC News
Faced with a shortage of skilled tradespeople, a small town in rural Manitoba is working with the province to train building owners to do their own masonry work.
This summer, two full blocks of century-old brick buildings on Main Street in Carberry were designated a heritage district — but some of the buildings need repairs.
Shauna McKinnon, economic development officer for the town located just east of Brandon, said owners have had little luck finding tradespeople available to do to the work.
"There's a shortage of brick masons in our area," she told CBC News. "From what I understand, it's a provincewide shortage. It's kind of a dying trade or art form, even.
The first scheduled masonry class is full; town officials are considering holding another in the spring.