March 24, 2023, Ontario – The 2023 Ontario Budget announced millions in funding towards trades development.
“Ontario needs more skilled workers to tackle the province’s labour shortage, strengthen the economy and build a stronger workforce for everyone. To do this, the government continues to invest in skills training, transform the apprenticeship and skilled trades system, and help newcomers put their skills to use,” Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS), stated in a press release.
The investments include;
- Investing $75 million over the next three years into the Skills Development Fund
- Investing $224 million over the next year into a new stream of the Skills Development Fund which would help build and upgrade training centres and union trading halls
- A total of $25 million over three years into the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program to bring more skilled trades workers into Ontario
- A total of $3 million in Ontario Bridge Training Program to help immigrants get into the skilled trades
- Investing $3.5 million over three years in the Abilities Centre in Whitby to help provide people with disabilities skills development
- Investing $3.5 million in the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario to encourage more students to select careers in the skilled trades