Ottawa offers provinces $2 billion to help train more skilled trades workers
The money will expand apprenticeship and certification programs as Canada faces 410,000 skilled trades job openings by 2033, Hajdu said.
- On Thursday, Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu announced Ottawa will provide $2 billion over five years to provinces and territories for skilled trades training aimed at recruiting up to 100,000 Red Seal workers through bilateral agreements.
- Canada faces a shortage of skilled workers, with projections indicating 1.4 million new workers are required by 2033 to sustain economic growth. Hajdu cited 189,000 looming retirements as a primary driver for capacity expansion.
- During a Halifax ministerial meeting on Thursday, Nova Scotia Labour, Skills and Immigration Minister Nolan Young joined Hajdu to discuss aligning provincial priorities with federal goals. These initiatives target high-demand sectors including national defence, shipbuilding, and construction.
- The funding will flow through bilateral agreements designed to expand apprenticeship capacity, reduce wait lists, and remove certification barriers. Ottawa aims to finalize these negotiations with provincial and territorial partners within the current fiscal year.
- This investment supplements the $6 billion Team Canada Strong initiative, which previously established recruitment goals for Red Seal-certified trades workers. Rollouts are expected throughout 2026–27, contingent on successful agreement negotiations.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Federal government boosting trades initiative by $2 billion
The federal government has announced it is investing another $2 billion into a national initiative to produce up to 100,000 more tradespeople. Team Canada Strong is a $6 billion program to recruit, train and hire 80,000 to 100,000 Red Seal trades workers over the next five years. An additional $2 billion over five years in over five years through new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories was announced at the July 16 Forum of Labour…
The federal government announced that it would spend $2 billion on recruiting and training up to 100,000 additional skilled workers through bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories.
The Toronto Star
Ottawa offers provinces $2 billion to help train more skilled trades workers
HALIFAX - The federal government says it will spend $2 billion to recruit and train up to 100,000 more Red Seal trade workers through bilateral deals it plans to strike with the provinces and territories.
HALIFAX, NS, July 16, 2026 /CNW/ — The global context continues to evolve, as the Government of Canada announces new funding of $2 billion for provinces and territories under the Strong Team Canada initiative appeared first on Les Affaires.
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