Toronto, Ontario — The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, alongside Ministers Jonathon Wilkinson and Seamus O’Regan, have launched a call for proposals from the industry under the new Sustainable Jobs Stream of the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy’s Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP).
With an investment of over $95 million, the Canadian government hopes this funding will help unions and their partners provide green training to approximately 20,000 apprentices and journeypersons over the next five years.
As part of this funding, a separate agreement with the Government of Quebec will support the province in implementing a program that accounts for the specific features of Quebec’s apprenticeship system.
Moreover, with this investment, the Canadian government hopes that tradespeople will be better equipped to keep pace with the job skills that are in high demand, as industries shift to low-carbon alternatives such as electric vehicles, and global partners look to buy Canadian clean technologies.
The UTIP Sustainable Jobs Stream is part of a new focus under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy to respond to the skilled trades workforce’s most pressing needs, including addressing barriers to successful entry, supporting progression and completion of apprenticeship, addressing financial crisis, and increasing net-zero manufacturing to unlock Canada’s economic potential.
“This call for proposals under the Union Training and Innovation Program will contribute to Canada’s Sustainable Jobs plan while equipping more Canadian tradespeople with the skills and support they need to build a more prosperous and sustainable future for Canada,” Wilkinson said in a recent press release.
In order to help with the growing need for skilled trades workers, Budget 2024 has announced the Government’s intention to deliver a historic $90 million investment for the Apprenticeship Service to support small and medium-sized employers in creating placements for apprentices and $10 million for the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program to encourage Canadians to explore and prepare for careers in the skilled trades.
“Skilled tradespeople carry out crucial work to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Investing in the Sustainable Jobs Stream will help thousands of workers across Canada develop the skills needed for green jobs – meaning more work for Canadians and a lower carbon footprint for the country,” Boissonnault concluded.
Currently, the Government of Canada invests nearly $1 billion annually in apprenticeship support through grants, loans, tax credits, Employment Insurance benefits during in-school training, project funding and support for the Red Seal program to help build its skilled trades workforce.
This call for proposals will be open until Sept. 5, 2024. Click here, for more information.
