Ontario providing investment into Skills Development Fund

The Ontario government is providing an additional $83 million towards the Skills Development Fund to help support training projects.

The fund will begin accepting proposals for the second round of funding and is expanding its eligibility to allow an even wider range of organizations to apply.

“With almost 150 projects so far, the first round of the Skills Development Fund was a tremendous success, helping 260,000 workers and job seekers around the province take the next step in their careers,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “However, we know employers are still having difficulty finding the talented workers they need to stay competitive and grow their businesses. That’s why we’ve opened a second round of funding that will be accessible for an even wider range of programs and organizations.”

The investment includes $334,487 for the LiUNA Local 506 Training Centre in Richmond Hill to give 8,000 members of Local 506 as well as construction craft worker apprentices free access to a wide range of online skills and safety courses workers need for their jobs through LinkedIn Learning.

“LiUNA’s industry leading training is a gateway to building prosperous careers throughout the construction industry,” said Joseph Mancinelli, LiUNA International Vice President and Regional Manager of Central and Eastern Canada. “With the continued support of Minister McNaughton and the Skills Development Fund, we continue to upgrade innovative training and marketing programs to expand outreach and recruitment, modernize the skilled trades and ensure that Ontario’s workforce is safe and job ready as they remain at the forefront of community building.”