Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG)

Employer Questions and Answers

General

  • What is the Canada-Ontario Job Grant?
  • Who is administering the COJG?
  • How much funding is an employer eligible to receive through COJG?
  • What kind of role do employers have in the COJG?
  • What is the required contribution an employer must make to be eligible for funding?
  • Can an employer access Canada-Ontario Job Grant funds after they have paid for/provided the training to their employees?
  • What if there are changes to COJG funded training after the agreement has been signed?
  • What is conflict of interest? What relationships can be considered under this?

Employer Eligibility

  • Which employers are eligible for the COJG?
  • What is a broader public sector organization?
  • Are crown corporations eligible for funding?
  • Can an employer access COJG funds more than once?
  • Can a single employer have more than one training agreement running concurrently?
  • Do Schedule 2 employers under WSIB, still qualify under the COJG program eligibility criteria?

Training Eligibility

  • What kind of training is and is not covered by the grant?
  • What is Product Vendor Training and is it eligible for COJG?
  • What is Business Consulting and is it eligible for COJG?
  • What if I don’t agree with the service provider’s or ministry’s decision that my selected training is product vendor training or business consulting? Can I appeal?
  • What is an eligible training institution?
  • How do you determine if a training institution is in compliance with the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005?
  • Why is training supported by the COJG limited to one year in duration?
  • Does the training need to happen in 12 consecutive months, or can it be 12 months but extend over one year (e.g., multiple modules with breaks in between)?
  • Is in-class apprenticeship training eligible under the COJG?
  • Is mandatory certification/training eligible for funding under the COJG?

Individual Eligibility

  • Can an individual apply directly for the grant?
  • Who is eligible to participate in training funded through the COJG?
  • Are individuals paid on commission eligible for COJG?
  • Are individuals with 900-series Social Insurance Number (SIN) eligible to participate in the COJG?
  • Are business owners or shareholders eligible to participate in the COJG?
  • Can trainees participate in training more than once?
  • For individuals who are on Ontario Works, are they able to continue receiving their benefits if taking part in COJG?
  • Is there specific criteria (aside from self-identification) that will be used to determine whether a person with a disability qualifies for disability training supports, such as assistive devices?

Attestation Process

  • What is the Canada-Ontario Job Grant – Employer and Training Provider Information Sheet?
  • What is the Employer Attestation form?
  • What is the Training Provider Attestation form?
  • The Canada-Ontario Job Grant – Employer and Training Provider Information Sheet mentions that additional information may be requested of the training provider. What type of information will be requested that is not already part of the COJG application and attestation forms?
  • Where do I find the Attestation forms?
  • Who is responsible for submitting the attestation forms to the Service Provider or Ministry staff?
  • What happens if I refuse to sign the employer attestation form?
  • What happens if my selected training provider refuses to sign the attestation form?
  • What happens if the Ministry determines that the training provider has not been truthful in their attestation form? What would be the impact on me as the employer?

Application Process

  • Where does an employer submit a completed application?
  • Should an employer have all of the trainees chosen when submitting an application for funding?
  • Why does the application request information on the future state of the trainees?
  • What forms need to be completed for the program?

Application Assessment

  • How will applications be assessed?
  • If the employer meets all eligibility criteria, does this mean that they are guaranteed funding?
  • How long will it take to assess the application?

Application Form

  • What does company-specific training mean?
  • What are the definitions of the training categories listed in the application form?
  • What are the definitions of the type of skills listed in the application form?
  • The application form asks for information on “incumbent” and “new hires”. What does that mean?
  • Why does the application request information on the future state of the trainees?
  • What does an employer do if there is only one viable training provider? (Three quotes are required if the total training cost per participant exceeds $2,500 or $700 per participant per day)
  • Can an employer request more than one training type on one application?

Employment Insurance

  • For COJG trainees that are on Employment Insurance (EI), should service providers fill-out Section 25 forms for the trainees attending training?
  • Can unemployed individuals receive income support while they are on training?

Funding

Taxes

Job Placements

  • Are job placements eligible for COJG funding?
  • What are the exceptional circumstances for placing an unemployed individual?
  • Can an employer receive placement incentives for the same individual through Employment Service or Youth Job Connection and COJG?

Additional Questions