21 hiring programmes of the 32 we track can pay toward a hire in Ontario: 15 open anywhere in Canada and 6 programmes only for Ontario employers (Ontario Co-operative Education Tax Credit, OCI Talent Development Internships, FedNor Youth Internships, NOHFC Workforce Development, NOHFC Indigenous Workforce Development, Ontario Achievement Incentive). Worked out on four standard hires starting May 2027: a co-op student gets $7,214, a high-school summer hire $2,513, a first-year apprentice up to $15,000, and a recent graduate $20,000.
Four hires in Ontario, worked out
| The hire | Gets | From |
|---|---|---|
| A co-op student for a summer term$22.00 an hour, 35 h a week, 16 weeks, digital role, 8-person tech business | $7,21459% of $12,320 in wages | Canada Summer Jobs + Ontario Co-operative Education Tax CreditOpen this in the calculator |
| A high-school student for the summer8 weeks full time (35 h) at $18.95 an hour, retail business of 8 people | $2,51347% of $5,306 in wages | Canada Summer JobsOpen this in the calculator |
| A first-year apprenticeRed Seal trade, under 25, $20.00 an hour, 40 h a week, permanent, 6-person trades business | up to $15,000over two years | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit + Ontario Achievement Incentiveplus Build Canada Apprenticeship Service once it opens ($10,000 at most), not countedOpen this in the calculator |
| A recent graduate, full timeFinished under a year ago, $25.00 an hour, 37.5 h a week, permanent, 20-person tech business | $20,00041% of $48,750 in wages | OCI Talent Development InternshipsOpen this in the calculator |
A business, start May 2027. Worked out by the same engine as the calculator, from each programme’s own rule.
The 21 programmes that apply in Ontario
| Programme | What it pays | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Student Work Placement Program: one delivery partner per placement (9) | ||
| ICTC: WIL Digital Program (Tech Sector Student Work Placement)College or university students on a work-integrated placement. Any employer; the role must be digital or technical | 50% of the student’s wages, up to $5,000 per placement | Canada-wideOpen |
| TECHNATION Career Ready ProgramCollege or university students on a work-integrated placement. Any employer; the role must use technology in some capacity | 50% of the student’s gross earnings, up to $5,000 per student | Canada-wideOpen |
| Ontario Chamber of Commerce Talent Opportunities Program (TOP)College or university students on a work-integrated placement. Any industry, any province; the placement must be part of the student’s study plan | 50% of wages, up to $5,000 per placement | Canada-wideOpen |
| Venture for Canada Internship ProgramCollege or university students on a work-integrated placement. Under 500 employees; pay at least $18.00 an hour; an innovation or entrepreneurial role | 50% of wages, up to $5,000 per student per term (up to two consecutive terms) | Canada-wideOpen |
| BioTalent Canada: Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)College or university students on a work-integrated placement. Biotech, bio-economy or healthcare employer, or a role with that focus | 50% of the student’s wages, up to $5,000 per placement term | Canada-wideOpen |
| EHRC: Empowering Futures (Electricity Sector Student Work Placement)College or university students on a work-integrated placement. Electricity-sector employers | Up to $5,000 per placement; the employer must pay at least half the salary | Canada-wideOpen |
| MiHR: Gearing Up (Mining Sector Student Work Placement)College or university students on a work-integrated placement. Mining and mineral exploration employers | Up to $5,000 per placement (the share of wages it covers is not stated in our record) | Canada-wideOpen |
| ECO Canada: Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)College or university students on a work-integrated placement. Environmental-sector placements tied to a STEAM or Business program | 50% of the student’s salary, up to $5,000 | Canada-wideOpen |
| Propel Student Work Placement ProgramCollege or university students on a work-integrated placement. Tourism and hospitality employers, or a tourism/hospitality role | 50% of gross wages (tips and commissions excluded), up to $5,000 per placement | Canada-wideOpen |
| Canada Summer Jobs (1) | ||
| Canada Summer Jobs | Businesses: 50% of the provincial minimum wage for each hour. Non-profits: up to 100%. | Canada-wideBetween intakes |
| Tax credits that sit on top of a wage subsidy (2) | ||
| Ontario Co-operative Education Tax Credit (OCELC) | 25% to 30% of co-op wages, up to $3,000 per placement; wages are reduced by any other wage subsidy first | OntarioOpen |
| Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit (AJCTC) | 10% of the apprentice’s wages, up to $2,000 a year, in their first two years (a non-refundable tax credit) | Canada-wideOpen |
| Milestone grants (1) | ||
| Ontario Achievement Incentive Program | $1,000 per in-class level (up to 4) and $1,000 on certification, matched by a bonus if the apprentice is under 25 and/or from an under-represented group | OntarioOpen |
| Wage subsidies for particular hires (7) | ||
| OCI Critical Industrial Technologies: Talent Development Internships: Ontario Centre of Innovation | $10,000 per four-month internship unit, two units at most; you match 1:1 | OntarioOpen |
| Youth Internships in Northern Ontario: FedNor | Up to 90% of the intern’s salary and benefits, up to $35,000 a year ($52,500 over 18 months) | Northern OntarioOpen |
| NOHFC Workforce Development Program | Businesses: 50% of salary and payroll costs, up to $35,000 for a 52-week internship. Non-profits: 90%. | Northern OntarioOpen |
| NOHFC Indigenous Workforce Development Program | Businesses: 75% of an Indigenous intern’s salary and payroll costs, up to $52,500 a year | Northern OntarioOpen |
| BioTalent Canada: Career Starter Program | 60% of the youth’s salary, up to $20,000 (including support services) | Canada-wideOpen |
| MiHR: Green Jobs Program (Mining Clean Tech Youth Placements) | Up to $24,000 per placement; up to $30,000 for Indigenous youth, youth with disabilities and northern or remote youth | Canada-wideOpen |
| Youth Employment and Skills Program: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | 50% of wages and benefits, up to $14,000 (up to 80% for a youth facing a barrier) | Canada-wideBetween intakes |
| Announced, not open yet (1) | ||
| Build Canada Apprenticeship Service | Up to $10,000 per first-year apprentice in an eligible Red Seal trade, for small and medium-sized employers | Canada-wideOpens later this fall |
Looking for training grants and every other Ontario hiring programme, not only the ones the calculator can price? Read our Ontario hiring grants guide.
Hiring money is one corner of it. What else does your business qualify for?
Grants, tax credits and loans are matched on your business, not on who you hire. The eligibility map checks 850+ programs and ranks what fits.
Questions Ontario employers ask
Are there hiring grants in Ontario?
Yes. 21 hiring programmes in our calculator can pay toward a hire in Ontario. Most follow the person you hire: students, recent graduates, youth, apprentices, or someone who was out of work. The Ontario-only ones are Ontario Co-operative Education Tax Credit, OCI Talent Development Internships, FedNor Youth Internships, NOHFC Workforce Development, NOHFC Indigenous Workforce Development, Ontario Achievement Incentive.
What is the minimum wage in Ontario for Canada Summer Jobs?
Canada Summer Jobs pays on the minimum wage where the job is. The general minimum wage in Ontario is $17.60 an hour since October 1, 2025, rising to $17.95 on October 1, 2026 (Government of Canada, Minimum Wage Database: Current and Forthcoming General Minimum Wage Rates in Canada (page 'Date modified: 2026-09-25'; data file /en/data/minimum_wage.json, table is rendered client-side), checked September 24, 2026). A business can get up to 50% of it for each hour, so $8.97 an hour for a summer job starting May 2027.
How much can a Ontario business get for hiring a co-op student?
For a 16-week summer co-op term at $22 an hour (35 h a week), $7,214: Canada Summer Jobs plus Ontario Co-operative Education Tax Credit.
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