Federal-Manitoba program commits $18.2 million for tariff-hit workers

Employers in Manitoba will have more money on hand to retain top talent thanks to a new agreement between the provincial and federal governments. 

These companies can provide workers access to retraining through a new $18.2-million Canada–Manitoba Workforce Tariff Response, the federal government announced. 

This will benefit employers and workers in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, transportation and wholesale trade.

“Canada’s workforce is strongest when employers and training partners work together,” said Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario. “As global trade evolves, no worker will be left behind. Through the Workforce Tariff Response, that means providing the tools and training workers need to secure good jobs, continue building strong communities, and ensure Canada remains resilient in the face of global challenges.”

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) said that the three-year investment is expected to help more than 2,100 workers build new skills.

EDC also previously launched the Canada–Alberta Workforce Tariff Response.

What is Canada–Manitoba Workforce Tariff Response?

ESDC says the program is built around six pathways: 

• direct employment services

• skilled trades training

• skills development training

• self-employment supports

• demand-led training partnerships

• and employee training to help businesses retain and upskill their workforce.

The federal government framed the spending as a defensive economic measure. "In a rapidly changing world, the government of Canada is focusing on what it can control: building a stronger more resilient Canada," ESDC said, adding that implementation will draw on input from labour and business representatives.

The program is designed to reach three groups of workers. These are:

• workers seeking new skills for in-demand jobs

• workers whose employers are in Work-Sharing agreements, so that they can upskill or retrain as their industries adapt

• workers looking to improve their resiliency within companies directly affected by tariffs and global market shifts, as well as within those companies' supply chains and within single-industry communities that depend on them.

The damage caused by the U.S. tariff shocks are concentrated in a relatively small set of tariff‑exposed industries that “have been disruptive” for Canadian producers, according to a previous RBC report.

Existing supports for employers, workers

The tariff response adds to a larger base of federal labour spending in the province. ESDC notes that Ottawa already invests nearly $76 million annually through the Labour Market Development Agreements and Workforce Development Agreements in Manitoba, supporting training and employment services for roughly 28,000 people each year.

That annual cohort includes about 12,000 people who secure employment within about six months of receiving support, 12,000 youth aged 15 to 29, 10,000 mid-career workers aged 35 to 54, and 8,500 workers from the trades, including 3,600 apprentices. Both the new and existing supports are funded through Employment Insurance contributions made by workers and employers.

Federal officials say the agreement is also intended to prepare workers for emerging national initiatives, including Major Projects, Build Canada Homes and the Defence Industrial Strategy. As of April 2026, Manitoba's unemployment rate stood at 5%.

Here is a list of US tariffs in Canada that are currently in force and affecting Canadian workplaces: