Canada launches skilled trades hiring and training plan through 2030-2031

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Canada skilled trades hiring plan

Highlights

Canada will invest $880 million over five years in the Team Canada Strong Youth Placements program, funding paid entry-level work placements in construction and trades sectors.
The Build Canada Apprenticeship Service offers incentives up to $10,000 for small and medium-sized employers to hire and train first-year apprentices in eligible Red Seal trades.
Apprentices will receive a $400 weekly top-up via the Apprenticeship Training Grant and a $5,000 Red Seal Completion Bonus starting April 1, 2025, targeting higher completion rates and expanded skilled labour supply.

Funding plan and apprenticeship measures

As outlined by Canada.ca, the Team Canada Strong initiative is built around three pillars, recruit, train and hire, to strengthen the pipeline for skilled trades careers and help employers fill labour needs. The program includes support for youth work placements, apprentice hiring incentives, training system modernization and income assistance intended to improve completion rates.

A new $880 million Team Canada Strong Youth Placements program over five years is set to fund paid entry-level work placements of up to four months for young Canadians exploring construction and trades-related occupations. The government also plans to launch the Build Canada Apprenticeship Service, which is designed to help small and medium-sized employers hire and train first-year apprentices in eligible Red Seal trades with incentives of up to $10,000.

On the training side, the initiative is set to digitize the Red Seal Program through online exams, digital logbooks and secure credentials, while introducing a single national registered apprenticeship number. It also includes new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories to expand training capacity, along with a broader Union Training and Innovation Program to help union-run centres upgrade, expand or build facilities.

Labour market impact across Canada

The hiring component focuses on barriers that can prevent apprentices from finishing their programs and moving into permanent employment. Measures include income support during unemployment periods between in-class instruction and work, as well as a $400 weekly top-up through the Apprenticeship Training Grant while apprentices attend mandatory technical training, in addition to Employment Insurance benefits.

The plan also offers a $5,000 Red Seal Completion Bonus for apprentices who complete an apprenticeship and obtain certification in eligible Red Seal trades designated by their province or territory, including those certified on or after April 1, 2025. Together, the measures are intended to align skills development more closely with local labour market needs and expand the national pool of certified trades workers.

Ontario’s new funding to expand postsecondary seats in Durham Region detailed how the province is adding 2,861 additional spots at Ontario Tech and Durham College to train students for high-demand fields, including skilled trades, STEM, health care and education. Our earlier coverage highlighted that the investment is part of a wider province-wide capacity buildout aimed at aligning training with regional labour-market needs and strengthening the supply of job-ready workers for employers.

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