Ontario and Canada Invest $7.2 Million to Train More Than 500 Northern Workers
Northern Ontario Worker Training Targets Steel, Forestry and Skilled Trades
SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. — More than 500 workers and jobseekers across Northern Ontario will receive skilled-trades and employment training through a joint federal-provincial investment worth more than $7.2 million.
The funding, announced July 27, will support four workforce-development projects in Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, Kenora and other northern communities.
The programs are intended to help workers upgrade their skills, transition into in-demand occupations and remain employed as tariffs, economic uncertainty and industrial restructuring affect key northern industries.
Why the Investment Matters
Northern Ontario communities depend heavily on industries exposed to global trade conditions, including steel, forestry, pulp and paper and advanced manufacturing.
The new investment is designed to protect local employment while helping workers move into sectors experiencing labour shortages.
It also provides employers with trained workers in occupations such as welding, millwrighting, heavy-equipment operation, electrical work, commercial driving and construction.
Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister David Piccini said workforce training is central to Ontario’s economic competitiveness.
“Protecting Ontario means making sure workers have the skills to succeed no matter what comes our way,” Piccini said.
“Through these investments, we’re helping workers transition into good-paying careers, supporting employers facing economic pressures and strengthening the industries that will drive Ontario’s future prosperity.”
Through Skills Advance Ontario, we’re stepping up to protect the northern workers and businesses targeted by U.S. tariffs.
Today’s investment will help more than 500 workers across the north train for good-paying, in-demand careers in the sectors driving Ontario’s growth. https://t.co/387SNtxYJI
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) July 27, 2026
Four Northern Ontario Projects Receive Funding
Funding is being delivered through Skills Advance Ontario, which partners with employers and training providers to prepare workers for high-demand sectors.
Algoma Steel
Algoma Steel will receive $1,486,153 to provide technical and skills training to 250 employees.
The project is intended to help the Sault Ste. Marie workforce adapt as the company’s operations evolve while supporting Algoma Steel’s long-term competitiveness.
Canadian Skills Training and Employment Coalition
The Canadian Skills Training and Employment Coalition will receive $1,550,992 to train 120 manufacturing workers for occupations including welding and industrial mechanics.
Programs lasting between four and 18 weeks will be delivered in several communities, including Sault Ste. Marie.
Participants will receive industry-recognized safety credentials and paid work placements.
Confederation College
Confederation College will receive $2,780,400 to support 110 workers and jobseekers affected by restructuring in the forestry, pulp and paper sectors around Thunder Bay.
Training will prepare participants for careers in heavy-equipment operation, millwrighting, welding, electrical work and commercial driving.
Washagamis Bay Investment Corporation
Washagamis Bay Investment Corporation will receive $1,395,150 to train 40 jobseekers, primarily Indigenous participants from the Treaty #3 region.
The program will prepare participants for work in housing construction, forestry and telecommunications infrastructure in the Kenora area.
Tariff Response Supports Up to 27,000 Workers
The four projects are funded through the Canada-Ontario Workforce Tariff Response, a broader $228.8 million initiative.
The program is intended to provide training and employment support to as many as 27,000 workers affected by tariffs and global trade disruption.
Priority sectors include steel, automotive manufacturing and softwood lumber.
Federal Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu said the funding is a direct investment in Northern Ontario workers.
“As tariffs and global economic pressures continue to affect workers and communities, no one will be left behind,” Hajdu said.
“By equipping more than 500 workers with the skills they need for high-demand careers, we are building stronger, more resilient communities across Northern Ontario.”
Supporting Employment Through Economic Change
Skills Advance Ontario accepts applications on an ongoing basis and works with employers, colleges and training providers to respond to local workforce needs.
The province is also using Employment Ontario, Better Jobs Ontario, Protect Ontario Workers Employment Response Centres and Integrated Employment Services to assist people affected by job loss or economic disruption.
In the 2024–25 fiscal year, the Employment Ontario network served more than 693,000 people through over 700 service locations and remote channels.
For Northern Ontario, the latest investment is intended to protect existing employment while creating new pathways into skilled occupations that support infrastructure, resource development and long-term economic growth.
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