Comprehensive guide to 10 workforce training funding programs in Quebec
Businesses in Quebec can access 10 specialized workforce training programs combining federal and provincial funding opportunities.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $25,000
Helps employers create quality work experiences for youth while addressing their human resource needs.
Organization: Canada Council for the Arts
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports Canadian artists and arts organizations through a variety of grants for creation, production, professional development, touring, and more in arts and culture sectors.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports skills development and employment training for Indigenous peoples through funding agreements with Indigenous service delivery organizations across Canada.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $5 million
Supports the development of foundational and transferable skills (like literacy, numeracy, digital skills) for Canadians through funding to organizations that deliver training and upskilling projects.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $2 million
Supports union-based apprenticeship training and innovation in training approaches through project funding, to help more apprentices succeed and modernize training systems.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $10 million
Addresses workforce challenges in specific economic sectors by funding projects that help connect Canadians with training and jobs in in-demand sectors (e.g., sector-based workforce development projects).
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $7,000 per placement
Supports work-integrated learning opportunities for post-secondary students by providing wage subsidies to employers who create co-op placements in STEM and business fields (e.g., through partner delivery organizations).
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $5 million
Supports training and skills development for jobs in the green economy and clean technology sectors, often through wage subsidies for youth in environmental roles (delivered via various partner organizations).
Organization: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $15,000 per participant (wage subsidy)
Provides funding to organizations to create internships that offer underemployed youth training and work experience in digital skills, helping them transition to careers in the digital economy.
Organization: Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)
Level: federal
Amount: Varies (Business Loans)
Offers business loans, mentoring, training, and counseling to Western Canadians with disabilities or health conditions to start or expand a business.
Quebec operates one of North America's most structured employer training systems — shaped by provincial legislation, a dedicated labour market fund, and a network of sector-based partnerships. Understanding how these layers interact can meaningfully reduce your training costs.
The Loi favorisant le développement et la reconnaissance des compétences de la main-d'oeuvre (commonly called the Loi sur les compétences or the "1% law") requires every Quebec employer with an annual payroll of $2 million or more to invest at least 1% of total payroll in eligible employee training each year. Eligible expenditures include instructor fees, tuition paid on behalf of employees, wages earned during authorized training time, and the cost of developing internal training materials.
Employers who invest less than the required 1% must remit the shortfall to the Fonds de développement et de reconnaissance des compétences de la main-d'oeuvre (FDRCMO). This fund is administered by the Commission des partenaires du marché du travail (CPMT) — a tripartite body composed of employer, union, and government representatives — which redistributes the money through sectoral workforce committees and training grants. In practice, most mid-size and large Quebec businesses find it more advantageous to spend the 1% internally on qualifying programs than to remit to the fund, since internal spend can be directed strategically toward skills that benefit the business.
Emploi-Québec (now delivered through Services Québec offices) is the primary provincial channel for employer training subsidies. Its flagship tool for employers is the Mesure de formation de la main-d'oeuvre, which reimburses up to 50% of direct training costs — including instructor fees, rented training spaces, and a share of participant wages during training hours. For employers in recognized priority sectors, reimbursement rates can reach 60–80% through ententes sectorielles (sector training agreements) negotiated between Emploi-Québec and industry associations in areas such as information technology, aerospace, manufacturing, and the social economy.
The Pacte pour l'emploi framework brought additional provincial investment to workforce integration — targeting unemployed workers, immigrants, and underrepresented groups in the labour market. Employers who agree to hire and retain participants after a subsidized training period can receive substantially higher funding than standard training supports. Check with your local Services Québec office for active Pacte-based projects in your region and sector.
Quebec's Charte de la langue française — strengthened by the 2022 amendments under Bill 96 — reinforces workers' right to receive training in French. For most provincially funded programs delivered through Services Québec and the CPMT, French is the default language of instruction. Employers in bilingual regions (particularly Greater Montreal) may offer training bilingually, but written program materials and competency assessments submitted to Emploi-Québec for reimbursement must be available in French. Federally funded programs have no provincial language obligation, though employers are encouraged to accommodate francophone employees in their preferred language. Practically speaking, ensuring your training providers can deliver in French simplifies both compliance and access to provincial reimbursements.
Quebec's Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA) and Workforce Development Agreement (WDA) with the federal government channel Employment Insurance and Canada Job Fund money to Quebec, where Emploi-Québec administers it locally. This means many federally branded programs listed on this page are effectively delivered through Services Québec offices for Quebec businesses. You can layer these programs — for example, using Emploi-Québec's 50% cost-share on direct training expenses while separately claiming a federal wage subsidy for a co-op student or youth placement — as long as the same dollar of expense is not reimbursed twice. Consulting a Services Québec advisor before applying to multiple programs simultaneously is the cleanest way to confirm your stacking strategy is compliant.
| Body | Role | Who it helps |
|---|---|---|
| CPMT (Commission des partenaires du marché du travail) | Administers FDRCMO fund; sets provincial training priorities; oversees sectoral workforce committees | All Quebec employers subject to the 1% law |
| Services Québec (formerly Emploi-Québec) | Direct employer training subsidies (Mesure de formation); sectoral agreements; workforce integration programs | All QC employers of any size; unemployed workers |
| ESDC (Employment and Social Development Canada) | Funds federal programs (YESP, Skills for Success, UTIP, SWLP); channels federal money to Quebec via Labour Market Agreements | QC employers hiring youth, apprentices, co-op students |
| Investissement Québec | Advisory support + loans for training-linked productivity improvements; tax credit guidance (CRCD) | Mid-to-large QC businesses with growth/export mandates |
| CCQ (Commission de la construction du Québec) | Governs construction trade apprenticeships; manages collective agreement training funds | Construction employers and apprentices in regulated trades |
Beyond direct grants and subsidies, Quebec employers can access two significant tax credits that reduce the net cost of employee training:
Tax credits are not "grants" — they reduce your tax payable rather than providing cash upfront — but they dramatically lower the net cost of qualifying training spend and can be stacked on top of Emploi-Québec subsidies for the same employee (as long as you are not double-counting the same dollar in both the grant reimbursement claim and the tax credit).
The Loi sur les compétences applies to any employer whose total Quebec payroll reaches or exceeds $2 million per year. If you meet that threshold, you must spend at least 1% of total Quebec payroll on eligible training activities. The law covers all employment income subject to Quebec payroll tax — including salary, wages, overtime, and taxable benefits — but excludes corporate dividends and contractor payments. If you spend less than 1%, the shortfall is remitted to the FDRCMO with your annual RL-1 summary filing. Businesses below the $2 million payroll threshold are exempt, but still encouraged to access subsidized training through Emploi-Québec.
Provincial programs administered by Services Québec and the CPMT default to French-language delivery. Training materials submitted for reimbursement, including participant workbooks and competency assessments, must be available in French. However, the law does not prohibit bilingual or English-language delivery in situations where it is warranted — for example, technical certifications that have no equivalent French-language version, or training for employees in designated bilingual positions. The practical test is whether a francophone employee can meaningfully access the training in French; if so, you are generally in a good position for provincial reimbursement claims.
Yes, with care. Federal workforce programs such as the Canada Work-Integrated Learning Program (CWLP), Youth Employment and Skills Program, and Skills for Success are separate from Quebec's provincial programs. You can use a federal wage subsidy to offset the cost of an employee's wages during a co-op or youth placement, while simultaneously claiming Emploi-Québec's training measure to cover instructor and material costs for a different training activity with the same employee — or even a concurrent one — as long as identical costs are not double-claimed. The simplest rule: one expense, one funder. A Services Québec advisor can map out a compliant multi-funder plan for your specific training project before you apply.
Employers approach their local Services Québec office with a training plan — describing the objective, the provider, the number of participants, and the estimated costs. An advisor reviews eligibility and issues a financial contribution agreement, typically covering 40–50% of eligible direct costs. You pay the full invoice up front, then submit receipts and a training completion report to receive reimbursement. Turnaround for straightforward projects is usually 4–8 weeks after the training is complete. For larger or multi-cohort projects, partial advance payments may be available. Priority sectors and employers in workforce adjustment situations (e.g., post-layoff retraining) may qualify for higher reimbursement rates under special measures.
Quebec employers hiring registered apprentices can access two primary funding layers. Federally, the Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit (AJCTC) offers a non-refundable credit of 10% of eligible first- and second-year apprentice wages, up to $2,000 per apprentice per year, in Red Seal trades. The federal Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) funds union-based apprenticeship modernization at the organizational level. Provincially, apprentices in trades governed by the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) — such as electricians, plumbers, and carpenters — benefit from collective agreement training funds and Emploi-Québec sector agreements that may subsidize mentor time and training materials. Non-CCQ trades supervised by sectoral bodies (e.g., heavy equipment operators, IT technicians) can access Emploi-Québec's general training measure.
Small businesses under the $2 million payroll threshold are exempt from the Loi sur les compétences remittance obligation, but they are actively courted by Emploi-Québec because workforce development has outsized impact in smaller organizations. Emploi-Québec's training measure applies regardless of company size — a 10-person manufacturer can access the same 50% cost-share on instructor fees as a 500-person firm. Additionally, federally funded programs such as Skills for Success support small business employees in building digital and foundational skills. (Note: The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) was discontinued in 2025.) Regional development organizations like Investissement Québec also offer advisory services that include training cost planning for SMEs in export-ready sectors.
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