Home FeaturedOntario spending $64 million to train 12,000 skilled trades apprentices

Ontario spending $64 million to train 12,000 skilled trades apprentices

by HR News Canada Staff
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Ontario will invest $64.2 million over three years to expand apprenticeship training for up to 12,000 workers in the skilled trades, addressing critical labour shortages as one in three current tradespeople approach retirement.

The province announced the funding Tuesday in Windsor. The investment will create 4,000 new training seats annually through the In-Class Enhancement Fund and eliminate the $10-per-day Level 1 classroom fees for apprentices.

“By expanding access to in-class training and removing barriers, we’re helping more apprentices gain the skills they need for good-paying jobs, while protecting them in the face of U.S. tariffs,” said David Piccini, minister of labour, immigration, training and skills development.

Addressing workforce gaps

The funding comes as demand for skilled trades workers intensifies. One in eight job openings in Ontario are forecast to be in skilled trades-related occupations by 2029, according to the province.

Apprenticeship registrations rose 7.3 per cent to 28,875 in 2024-2025, the highest level in a decade. Youth registrations increased 13.5 per cent to 16,412 among workers aged 15 to 24 in the same period.

Broader infrastructure strategy

The In-Class Enhancement Fund is part of a $159.3 million commitment in the 2025 budget to strengthen skilled trades programs. Ontario has invested more than $2.1 billion in skilled trades since 2020.

The government is examining ways to increase apprenticeship hiring on publicly funded infrastructure projects. It is also working with Skilled Trades Ontario to expand testing access, allowing apprentices to book Certificate of Qualification exams at testing centres closer to their location.

“This investment is exactly what Ontario’s skilled trades workforce needs right now,” said Marc Arsenault, business manager and secretary treasurer of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario. “Expanding in-class training capacity means more apprentices can start and finish their programs on time, with fewer financial and logistical barriers.”

Related programs

The fund complements the $18 million Apprentice Development Benefit, which helps apprentices cover living expenses during full-time in-class training.

In August, the province announced $75 million to create up to 7,800 additional construction and urban planning seats at colleges, universities and Indigenous institutes. The In-Class Enhancement Fund is supported through labour market transfer agreements between the federal and provincial governments.

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