Canada-Ontario Job Grant

Ontario's workforce is our most valuable asset. As the economic environment evolves, so do the skills needs of employers. Experience shows that employer involvement in training improves business performance.

On March 28, 2014, Ontario signed the Canada-Ontario Job Fund Agreement with the federal government. The agreement is a key source of funding for new initiatives to help Ontario's employers develop their workforce through employer-led training.

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Funding provided by the Government of Canada through the Canada Job Grant
Programs delivered by the Government of Ontario

Canada-Ontario Job Grant

Canada-Ontario Job Grant (the Job Grant) provides an opportunity for employers to invest in their workforce, with help from the government.

The Job Grant will provide direct financial support to individual employers who wish to purchase training for their employees. It will be available to small, medium and large businesses with a plan to deliver short-term training to existing and new employees, and will:

  • Provide up to $10,000 in government support per person for training costs.
  • Require employers to contribute one-third of the total costs. There will be additional flexibility for small businesses to provide an in-kind contribution towards their share of the costs.
  • Require training to be delivered by an eligible, third-party trainer.

If you're an employer with a particular skills demand, the Canada-Ontario Job Grant might be right for you. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis.

For further information, please contact the Employment Ontario Contact Centre. Call toll-free (no charge): 1-800-387-5656 or through the TTY number: 1-866-533-6339 or email at EmploymentHotlineInquiries@ontario.ca.

Skills Training Pilot Programs

As part of the Canada-Ontario Job Grant, the ministry has launched two, new, employer-driven skills training pilots—Canada-Ontario Job Grant: Customized Training and Canada-Ontario Job Grant: UpSkill.

These pilots test different ways of working with employers to provide short-term, flexible training targeted at workplace needs:

  • The Canada-Ontario Job Grant: Customized Training pilot will assist in the development and delivery of firm-specific training solutions that meet employers’ workforce development needs, where no such training exists.
  • The Canada-Ontario Job Grant: UpSkill pilot will support employers in participating sectors meet their workforce development needs by providing employees with short-term technical and essential skills training aligned with the shared needs of the sector. These pilots are based on research and evidence from successful workforce training programs. We know that:
    • Greater employer participation in workforce training benefits businesses, employers and jobseekers.
    • Partnerships between employers and training providers have been proven to produce a more efficient, effective and resilient workforce.

Learn more

Applying for a Pilot

COJG: Customized Training

Apply now for COJG: Customized Training

Completed applications must be submitted electronically to the appropriate email address below, based on the location of the training. To see what region you are located in, please refer to this map.

COJG: Upskill

Apply now for COJG: UpSkill

Completed Call for Proposal and application forms must be submitted by Monday, April 18, 2016, electronically to the appropriate email address listed below, based on the sector your organization represents.

For further information, please contact the Employment Ontario Contact Centre. Call toll-free (no charge): 1-800-387-5656 or through the TTY number: 1-866-533-6339 or email at EmploymentHotlineInquiries@ontario.ca.