FUNDING SUPPORTS TRAINING PROVIDED BY ASSOCIATIONS

The Ontario Job Grant (OJG) offers up to 100% funding to a maximum of $15,000 for employee training. Eligible costs include trainer fees, training materials, clothing, tools, employee travel over 48 km, facility rentals as well as tuition and examination expenses. Instruction must be delivered by a third-party training provider that maintains a physical presence in Ontario throughout the training term and that has been in the business of providing the applicable training for at least two years. Only instruction offered by one of the following organizations is eligible:

• publicly assisted college, university or Indigenous Institute in Ontario
• District School Board
• career college and vocational program provider registered under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005(formerly known as the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005) and in compliance with the Act, or career college and vocational program provider that is exempt from registration in accordance with that Act
• union-based training centre
• sector council
• industry association

Training provided by organizations other than publicly assisted colleges, universities, Indigenous Institutes, or District School Boards must be delivered by instructors who have either:

• 48 months of experience, within the last 10 years, working in a profession or trade relevant to the training being provided, or teaching a program to prepare a student for the field (or a combination of the two)
• At least 24 months of experience, within the last 10 years, working or teaching in the profession/trade relevant to the training being provided, plus one of the following qualifications:
  • a Canadian bachelor’s degree (or equivalent foreign degree)
  • a certificate of qualification issued under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021
  • status as a graduate of a publicly assisted college, university or Indigenous Institute or registered Ontario career college (or equivalent institution outside Ontario)

Training in the “basic operation” and use of a product or service is eligible, provided that the trainer is not the product vendor, is not listed in the product purchase agreement, and does not have an exclusive arrangement with the vendor for training delivery. Product vendors are eligible to deliver “advanced” training, e.g., showing operators how to use the product or service for something other than its intended purpose.

Ontario companies with more than 100 employees must contribute 50% towards eligible costs and can receive a maximum of $10,000/trainee. Businesses with less than 100 employees are eligible for $15,000/trainee and need to contribute 1/6^th of related expenses for training existing employees and contribute zero towards training new personnel. Companies with more than 500 employees are not entitled to receive funding for senior management-related instruction. There is no limit on the amount of funding requested or the frequency and number of applications, which can be made.