‘We’re helping workers retrain, upgrade their skills and move into new opportunities so they can continue to work, thrive and support their families while keeping Ontario strong’
A new $200-million initiative is seeking to protect workers and communities facing direct and indirect impacts from tariffs and shifting global trade patterns in Ontario.
Ontario and the federal government are investing $228.8 million over three years to help up to 27,000 workers retrain and upgrade their skills in response to U.S. tariffs and global trade disruptions, the Ontario government announced Tuesday.
The funding, provided by the Government of Canada and delivered by Ontario, will support the new Canada‑Ontario Workforce Tariff Response, targeting workers in key sectors including softwood lumber, steel and automotive manufacturing.
“Ontario’s workers are at the forefront of our economy, and our government will never shy away from helping them when it’s needed,” said David Piccini, Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “As tariffs continue to impact key sectors, we are standing with the workers and communities feeling these pressures the most. Through this funding, we’re helping workers retrain, upgrade their skills and move into new opportunities so they can continue to work, thrive and support their families while keeping Ontario strong, competitive and resilient.”
This follows a similar $70.4 million funding in British Columbia.
Skills Advance Ontario
Under the Ontario-Ottawa funding, the provincial government will expand targeted training and employment supports through Skills Advance Ontario (SAO), a sector‑based program that helps workers stay employed, move into in‑demand jobs and assists employers in retaining experienced staff during periods of economic uncertainty.
SAO will also support workforce development in high‑growth sectors such as health care, skilled trades, energy and natural resources, according to the province.
A broad range of workers and employers will be eligible. The Ontario government said the program will cover laid‑off and unemployed workers seeking skills for in‑demand jobs; employees in workplaces participating in Employment Insurance work‑sharing agreements; and workers needing additional skills training to remain competitive in companies directly impacted by tariffs or in communities that rely heavily on those industries.
Access, eligibility and program channels
Applications for Skills Advance Ontario are now open and will be accepted on an ongoing basis. Employers and employment and training service providers can submit project proposals through the Ontario government’s SAO webpage. Workers and jobseekers interested in the program are encouraged to contact participating employers and service providers or reach out directly to Employment Ontario.
The Ontario government said the new tariff‑response funding may also flow through existing programs, including Protect Ontario Workers Employment Response (POWER) Centres, Better Jobs Ontario and Integrated Employment Services.
Employment Ontario is currently providing free employment services and training programs online, by phone or chat, and in person at more than 700 locations across the province. In the 2024–2025 fiscal year, the Employment Ontario network helped more than 693,000 Ontarians, according to the province.
‘Stabilise’ vital sectors
Industry and labour groups also welcomed the initiative.
Kevon Stewart, USW District 6 Director for Ontario and Atlantic Canada, said tariffs and economic uncertainty “can put good union jobs at risk and create real challenges for working families and communities.”
“Investments like the Canada‑Ontario Workforce Tariff Response are important to ensure workers have access to the training and support they need to protect jobs, strengthen our industries, and build a more resilient workforce,” Stewart said.
Algoma Steel CEO Rajat Marwah called the support from the federal and Ontario governments “welcome” as the steel sector navigates a “challenging and uncertain trade and market environment” and said it would help workers and communities during this period.
In the forestry sector, Ontario Professional Foresters Association president Brandon Williamson said the initiative “will provide support to workers and industries affected by softwood lumber tariffs and help to stabilise sectors that are vital to Ontario’s economy,” adding that by strengthening workforce skills and professional development, the program will contribute to a “resilient, knowledgeable, and future ready forestry profession across the province.”
The federal and Quebec governments are also investing $24.7 million over five years to support skills training for apprentices in 18 Red Seal trades deemed essential to reducing Canada’s carbon emissions.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) also previously announced that it has doubled its investment in the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) and expanded flexibilities under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy’s Investments in Training Equipment (ITE) stream.
