14 employee training and workforce development programs for Ontario employers. Canada-Ontario Job Grant ($10K per employee), Skills Development Fund, apprenticeship support, and sector-specific upskilling programs. Canada's most comprehensive training ecosystem.
Organization: Government of Ontario / Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: provincial
Amount: Up to $10,000 per employee
Ontario's flagship employer-driven training grant. The government covers up to two-thirds of eligible third-party training costs — capped at $10,000 per trainee — with small employers (under 100 staff) paying only one-third. Applies to any sector and any recognized external training provider. Apply through Employment Ontario service providers.
Organization: Government of Ontario — Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development
Level: provincial
Amount: $100,000 – several million (competitive)
Competitive grant stream for organizations — employers, unions, industry associations, colleges — that design innovative training solutions addressing sector-wide or regional workforce gaps. Unlike COJG, SDF funds systemic training infrastructure and curriculum development rather than individual employee training.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $25,000
Helps Ontario employers create quality work experiences and skills development opportunities for youth (15–30) facing barriers to employment. Covers wage support and can include training costs through program delivery organizations across Ontario.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $10 million
Funds sector-level workforce development projects that address labour shortages and skills mismatches in specific industries. Targets under-represented groups and helps connect Canadians with training and employment in in-demand Ontario sectors including tech, construction, and healthcare.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $2 million
Supports union-based apprenticeship training and modernization of training approaches for the skilled trades. Highly relevant to Ontario's construction, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC sectors, which are managing rapid expansion alongside an aging workforce.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $7,000 per co-op placement
Subsidizes Ontario employers who create work-integrated learning positions (co-ops, internships) for post-secondary students in STEM and business fields. Delivered through Ontario colleges and universities. Can be combined with COJG for formal training costs.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $5 million (organization level)
Funds organizations that deliver foundational skills training — literacy, numeracy, digital skills, communication — for Canadians who need an on-ramp before accessing technical training. Employers can partner with Ontario LBS (Literacy and Basic Skills) providers to deliver workplace-embedded programs.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $5 million (organization level)
Supports training and skills development for jobs in Ontario's growing green economy and clean technology sectors. Emphasizes youth and under-represented groups. Relevant to Ontario's EV manufacturing transition, renewable energy expansion, and environmental services sector.
Organization: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $15,000 per intern (wage subsidy)
Provides Ontario employers with wage subsidies for 6-month digital internships for underemployed post-secondary graduates under 30. A targeted workforce training mechanism for building in-house digital capacity at reduced cost. Delivered through intermediary organizations.
Organization: Mitacs
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $15,000 per internship (matched)
Connects Ontario companies with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for applied R&D internships. Mitacs and the employer share costs equally. Excellent for Ontario tech and manufacturing firms that need high-calibre technical talent for specific projects without a full-time hire.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports culturally appropriate skills development and employment training for Indigenous peoples in Ontario through funding agreements with Indigenous service delivery organizations. Includes access to training, work experience, and employment supports across the province.
Organization: Government of Ontario
Level: provincial
Amount: Up to $28,000 (tuition, books, living costs for up to 2 years)
Ontario's retraining program for laid-off workers pursuing in-demand occupations. Covers tuition, textbooks, transportation, and living allowances for training programs lasting up to two years. Applied through Employment Ontario service providers. Targets individuals, not employers — distinct from COJG.
Organization: Canada Revenue Agency
Level: federal
Amount">Amount: 10% of wages, up to $2,000 per apprentice per year
A federal non-refundable investment tax credit for employers who hire registered apprentices in Red Seal trades during the first two years of their program. Claimed on the corporate tax return (T2) via Schedule 31. Stacks with COJG (which covers in-school tuition) to offset both employment and training costs.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to 100% wage subsidy (minimum wage)
Provides wage subsidies to Ontario employers who create summer employment positions for students aged 15–30 returning to school. Non-profit employers receive up to 100% of minimum wage; private-sector employers receive 50%. Combine with COJG to fund formal training alongside the summer placement.
You run a manufacturing operation with 20–80 employees — precision parts, food processing, plastics, or EV components — and your workforce needs skills they didn't need five years ago: CNC programming, quality management (ISO 9001), or energy management systems. You can't afford to send staff for 6-month programs but you can afford 2-3 day certifications from Mohawk College, Conestoga, or Fanshawe.
COJG is your workhorse here. For a $3,000 training course, you pay $1,000 (one-third); the province covers $2,000. Submit through your nearest Employment Ontario service provider — in Hamilton through the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board's employment services, in Windsor through the Windsor-Essex Community Employment Services. Apply 3 weeks before training starts, have your trainer's formal invoice ready. For apprentices you're simultaneously running, claim the federal AJCTC on your T2 for the wages you paid in years 1–2 of the apprenticeship.
The SDF round is worth watching if your industry association or Mohawk College is building a sector-wide training curriculum you could benefit from — you can be a supporting partner rather than the lead applicant, which lowers the workload substantially.
Your business is running 3–12 registered apprentices alongside journeypersons. You're managing apprentices in the electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or carpentry trades — all Red Seal designated — and you're absorbing significant cost: wages during school blocks, college tuition, tools, and lost productivity when apprentices rotate through technical training.
Your best stack: COJG covers the in-school tuition charged by George Brown College, Algonquin College, or Humber College. The federal AJCTC covers 10% of wages you paid the apprentice during years 1–2, up to $2,000 per year — claimed annually on your T2. If you're affiliated with IBEW, UA, or another union, UTIP provides funding for curriculum modernization at the union training hall level. Applied together, a 4-year electrical apprenticeship in Ontario can be substantially offset across all three programs. Note: the Ontario Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit (ATTC) was discontinued in 2017 — historical references to it online are outdated. The active provincial mechanism is now COJG for training costs; the federal AJCTC remains available for wage costs.
You run a non-profit — social services, housing, Indigenous health, food security — and your HR challenge is different from a manufacturer: you hire entry-level workers who need foundational skills, and you hire youth who need their first real work experience to move into permanent roles. Turnover is high and training budgets are thin.
You have access to overlapping programs that private employers don't: Canada Summer Jobs pays up to 100% of minimum wage for summer student hires, versus 50% for private employers. The Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP) via ESDC covers wages and training for youth 15–30 facing barriers — a category your organization may serve. The Skills for Success Program funds foundational literacy, numeracy, and digital skills — partnering with an Ontario Literacy and Basic Skills provider gives your workers workplace-embedded access. COJG works for non-profits too, covering external training costs for existing staff. The combination of CSJ + COJG means a summer student placement with formal certification attached can be nearly fully funded for an eligible non-profit.
You're a software company, SaaS startup, or digital services firm with 15–150 employees. Your training needs are fast-moving: a developer team needs AWS certifications, your UX team needs advanced Figma and accessibility training, your data team needs Python ML courses from Coursera or Udemy Business. Some of these are recognized trainers under COJG; others require vetting by your Employment Ontario service provider before you apply.
COJG covers tuition from colleges and recognized certification vendors. Confirm your chosen trainer's eligibility before applying — private online platforms vary. The Digital Skills for Youth program (DS4Y) provides up to $15,000 in wage subsidies for a 6-month digital internship for a recent graduate under 30. Mitacs Accelerate connects you with a graduate student or postdoc for an applied R&D project at 50% cost-share — strong for AI/ML or HCI research. The Student Work-Integrated Learning Program (SWILP) provides $5,000–$7,000 for a co-op placement via your partnering university or college. A single headcount addition as a co-op can attract three separate subsidies in the same fiscal year if timed correctly across streams.
For training an existing employee in a new skill: The Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) is almost always the first call. It covers two-thirds of third-party training costs for small employers, up to $10,000 per employee, and is available year-round. Any sector, any certified external trainer.
For apprenticeship programs: COJG covers the in-school (classroom) portion of apprenticeship training — the tuition and fees paid to the college. The federal Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit (AJCTC) provides 10% of wages paid in years 1–2, up to $2,000/year per apprentice, claimed on the T2. Used together, they offset most of the cost of running an apprenticeship program. The Union Training and Innovation Program also supports union-affiliated apprenticeship improvements.
For most Ontario employers upskilling existing staff, COJG is the correct first move. It's the only Ontario program with no competitive intake — applications are assessed on a rolling basis while budget allows. Approval takes 2–3 weeks with a clean application. No other province-level program is as immediately accessible for any-sector, any-size employer training needs.
| Program | Amount | Covers | Best For | Employer Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COJG | Up to $10K/employee | Training fees, tuition, materials | Skills upgrading, any sector | Any — lower share for <100 |
| Skills Dev. Fund | $100K–$M+ | Curriculum development, infrastructure | Sector training projects | Organizations/consortia |
| AJCTC (federal) | Up to $2K/yr | 10% of apprentice wages (years 1–2) | Red Seal trades employers | Any incorporated employer |
| DS4Y | Up to $15K/intern | Digital intern wages (6 months) | Building digital capacity | Any size |
| SWILP | $5K–$7K/placement | Co-op student wages | Post-secondary co-op hiring | Any size |
| Mitacs Accelerate | Up to $15K (50% match) | Graduate/postdoc internship | Applied R&D projects | Any |
| Better Jobs ON | Up to $28K | Tuition, living costs (2 yrs) | Displaced workers retraining | Individual-facing |
For sector-level training initiatives: The Ontario Skills Development Fund (SDF) is designed for organizations — not individual employers — building training infrastructure across a sector. Industry associations, colleges, and large employers with a systemic workforce challenge should look at SDF rather than COJG.
For hiring and training a student or recent grad: SWILP subsidizes co-op placements (up to $7,000). Canada Summer Jobs covers summer hires. Digital Skills for Youth covers digital interns. All three can be used in the same fiscal year for different roles.
| Employer Size | Government Share | Employer Share | Max Per Trainee | Can Apply For New Hires? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 100 employees | 67% (2/3) | 33% (1/3) | $10,000 | Yes — new hires and laid-off workers |
| 100+ employees | 50% | 50% | $10,000 | Existing employees only |
| Non-profits (any size) | 67% (2/3) | 33% (1/3) | $10,000 | Yes — participants in programs too |
For a trades contractor running 5+ apprentices, the optimal stack is: COJG for in-school tuition at the Ontario college + federal AJCTC on the T2 for years 1 and 2 wages + UTIP if affiliated with a union training hall. The discontinued Ontario ATTC (cancelled 2017) is no longer available despite appearing in some older sources — verify directly with your Employment Ontario coordinator before expecting any provincial tax credit for apprenticeship wages.
COJG applications are administered through over 300 Employment Ontario service providers across the province. Each provider serves a geographic catchment area and holds its own pool of COJG funding — meaning program availability and wait times vary by region. Employers in Toronto (Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, York, East York), Mississauga, Brampton, and Oshawa typically find providers at high capacity during fall and spring intakes. Employers in Northern Ontario — Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, North Bay, and Kenora — often have faster approval timelines with less competition for COJG funding. Mid-size markets including Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Windsor, Kingston, Peterborough, Barrie, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Cambridge, Brantford, and Guelph each have dedicated Employment Ontario offices. The SDF has a provincial intake managed centrally through the Ministry of Labour — geography is less relevant, but project reach across multiple Ontario regions strengthens SDF applications. For apprenticeship registration, the Ontario College of Trades administers registrations across all 22 provincial construction, motive power, industrial, and service trade groups.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development — Employment Ontario Provider Directory 2025| Program | Required at Application | Required at Reporting |
|---|---|---|
| COJG | Trainer quote/invoice, employee list, business registration | Training completion certificate, paid invoices, attendance records |
| Skills Dev. Fund | Project plan, budget, partner letters, labour market evidence | Progress reports, participant data, financial statements |
| AJCTC | Apprentice registration certificate from Ontario College of Trades | Claimed on T2 Schedule 31 with wage records |
| SWILP | WIL agreement with post-secondary institution, student enrolment proof | Placement completion form, student evaluation |
| DS4Y | Job description, graduate eligibility (degree, age, unemployed) | Intern milestone reports, pay stubs |
| Better Jobs ON | Layoff documentation, occupation-in-demand confirmation, training plan | Academic transcripts, job search activities |
Better Jobs Ontario replaces Second Career branding. The provincial government officially rebranded "Second Career" as "Better Jobs Ontario" in 2023, but many Employment Ontario offices and external sources still reference the old name. The maximum has been updated to $28,000 per participant covering tuition, books, transportation, and living costs. If you're directing a laid-off worker to this program, use the Better Jobs Ontario search at ontario.ca — the old Second Career portal now redirects.
SDF Round 6 and ongoing intake windows. The Skills Development Fund continues annual competitive intakes with shifting priority themes. Round 5 emphasized construction and healthcare workforce gaps. Monitor ontario.ca/SDF and the Ministry of Labour email list for Round 6 announcements. Organizations with SDF Round 5 grants in active delivery should note that reporting requirements have tightened — participant data must be entered quarterly into the ministry's online reporting portal, not just at close-out.
Ontario College of Trades consolidation ongoing. The Ontario government began a multi-year restructuring of the Ontario College of Trades starting in 2022, transferring some functions to the Ministry of Labour. If you're navigating apprenticeship registration, complaint resolution, or journeyperson-to-apprentice ratio questions in 2026, contact the ministry's apprenticeship branch directly rather than the legacy OCOT portal, which may have incomplete information during the transition.
AJCTC remains unchanged at 10% / $2,000 per apprentice per year. The federal Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit has not changed in Budget 2024 or Budget 2025. It is non-refundable, meaning it reduces taxes payable but does not generate a refund if the credit exceeds taxes owed. Employers with insufficient taxable income to use the credit in the year it was earned can carry it forward or back under standard T2 ITC rules.
Employment Ontario network consolidations in smaller markets. Several Employment Ontario service providers in smaller Ontario communities have merged or co-located over 2024–2025. If you applied to a specific COJG provider in a smaller Ontario community in 2023 or earlier, verify their current operating status before resubmitting. The province's provider finder at ontario.ca reflects current locations.
COJG stacking with wage subsidies: clarified rules. The Ministry of Labour clarified in 2025 that COJG and federal wage subsidies (SWILP, DS4Y, CSJ) may be used simultaneously provided they cover distinct, non-overlapping costs. The key rule: COJG covers training fees; wage subsidies cover wages. You cannot claim COJG for wages (it doesn't cover wages) and you cannot claim a wage subsidy for training fees. Documenting the split clearly in your COJG application avoids audit complications.
Green Jobs and EV sector training priority. Both the Ontario SDF and the federal Green Jobs Training Program have prioritized EV-adjacent training in 2024–2025 intakes — particularly for the new EV manufacturing facilities in Windsor (Stellantis-LG Energy Solution Nexstar plant), Brampton, and Ingersoll (GM CAMI). Employers in Southwestern Ontario's growing EV supply chain should explore whether SDF sector applications under an automotive industry association are available in their area.
| Sector | Primary Program | Secondary Stack | Key Consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing / EV | COJG | SDF (sector), Green Jobs Training | Windsor/Brampton/Ingersoll EV corridor priority in SDF |
| Construction / Trades | COJG (tuition) + AJCTC (wages) | UTIP (union halls) | ATTC discontinued 2017 — do not claim on Ontario return |
| Tech / SaaS | COJG (certifications) | DS4Y, SWILP, Mitacs | Confirm trainer eligibility with Employment Ontario before applying for online platforms |
| Healthcare / Long-term Care | COJG + Sectoral Workforce Solutions | YESP (youth workers) | SDF Round 5 specifically funded LTC sector workforce projects |
| Non-profit / Social Services | Canada Summer Jobs (100%), YESP | COJG, Skills for Success | Non-profits access CSJ at 100% minimum wage vs 50% for private |
| Agriculture / Food Processing | COJG | Sectoral Workforce Solutions | Seasonal workforce patterns affect COJG timing — apply in late winter for summer training |
For Ontario employers hiring their first co-op student or digital intern, SWILP is the most straightforward entry point — it's administered through your partnering college or university, requires no separate Employment Ontario application, and funds $5,000–$7,000 of the placement wages. DS4Y offers higher amounts ($15,000) for digital-specific roles but requires working through an intermediary organization and has periodic intake windows. Start with your college's co-op office; they'll direct you to whichever program is currently active for your sector.
| Step | Timing | Who Does It | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify training need + trainer | 6+ weeks before training | Employer | Confirm trainer eligibility before getting quote |
| Get formal training quote | 5 weeks before | Trainer → Employer | Must be from the actual training provider, not an estimate |
| Find Employment Ontario provider | 5 weeks before | Employer | Use ontario.ca locator; each provider covers a geographic area |
| Submit COJG application | 4–5 weeks before | Employer via EO provider | Training cannot start until approval received |
| Application review and approval | 2–3 weeks | EO provider | Faster in Northern Ontario; slower in GTA during peak periods |
| Receive Training Agreement | 1–2 weeks before training | EO provider → Employer | Do not start training before this document is signed |
| Training delivery | Within 52 weeks of agreement | Trainer | Keep attendance records throughout |
| Submit completion documents | Within 30 days of completion | Employer → EO provider | Invoice, certificate, attendance records required |
| Grant payment received | 4–8 weeks after submission | EO provider → Employer | Payment made to employer, not directly to trainer |
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I apply for multiple employees at once? | Yes — one COJG application can cover multiple trainees. Each trainee has their own $10K maximum. |
| Does training have to be in person? | No — online training from eligible recognized providers is acceptable. |
| Can a new hire use COJG? | Yes, for employers under 100 staff — new hires and laid-off workers are eligible. |
| What if my trainer isn't on an approved list? | Submit the trainer's credentials to your EO provider for review — there's no fixed approved list, just eligibility criteria. |
| Is there a minimum training cost? | No minimum — though small amounts rarely justify the application overhead. Most employers apply for $2,000+ in training costs. |
COJG provides direct funding to Ontario employers who purchase third-party training for employees. The government covers up to two-thirds of eligible training costs — capped at $10,000 per trainee. Employers with fewer than 100 staff pay one-third; larger employers pay half. Training must be delivered by an eligible external trainer. Applications go through Employment Ontario service providers and must be approved before training begins.
Eligible costs include tuition and registration fees for third-party training, required textbooks and course materials, and exam and certification fees tied directly to the training. Ineligible costs include employee wages during training, travel, accommodation, equipment purchased for the workplace, and training delivered by the employer's own staff.
Yes, with conditions. COJG can be stacked with federal programs provided the same training expense is not double-funded. Common combinations: COJG (training fees) + SWILP (co-op placement wages) + Canada Summer Jobs (summer hire wages). COJG and the federal AJCTC cover different cost categories of the same apprenticeship. Always disclose all government funding in your COJG application and confirm stacking rules with your Employment Ontario service provider.
Yes. Employers with fewer than 100 employees contribute only one-third of eligible training costs (government covers two-thirds, up to $10,000 per trainee). Employers with 100+ employees share costs equally at 50/50. Small employers also have the flexibility to apply on behalf of laid-off workers or new hires — not just existing employees.
Yes. COJG can pay the tuition and fees for the in-school (classroom and lab) portion of a registered Ontario apprenticeship program. Employee wages during the school block are not eligible. The federal Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit (AJCTC) provides an additional 10% of wages paid in years 1–2, up to $2,000 per apprentice per year, claimed on the T2. Note: the Ontario Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit (ATTC) was cancelled effective January 1, 2017 — it is no longer available.
Employment Ontario is the province's network of over 300 local service providers — community agencies, colleges, and non-profits — that administer provincial employment and training programs including COJG, Better Jobs Ontario, and Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS). For Ontario employers navigating training grants, your nearest Employment Ontario office is the single access point for COJG applications, program guidance, and referrals to other programs. Find your location at ontario.ca/find-employment-ontario.
The Ontario Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit (ATTC) was discontinued effective January 1, 2017, as part of Ontario's 2017 Budget. It is no longer claimable on Ontario tax returns. The active alternative is the federal Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit (AJCTC), which provides a non-refundable credit of 10% of eligible wages paid in years 1 and 2 of a Red Seal apprenticeship, up to $2,000 per apprentice per year. Claim via Schedule 31 of your federal T2 return.
For Ontario manufacturers with 20–150 employees, the highest-ROI training stack is COJG for skills upgrading (submit fall or early spring before budget runs low in your regional Employment Ontario office) + SWILP or DS4Y for any co-op or digital intern you're planning to add, applied at the same time through separate channels. If you're running apprentices, add AJCTC annually on your T2 — it's free money that most employers miss because their accountant isn't tracking apprenticeship start dates.
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