Ontario Launches $260M Skills Development Fund to Protect Jobs and Train Workers

Toronto – The Ontario government is investing $260 million in the latest round of its Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream to equip workers with the skills needed for high-demand sectors, including manufacturing, health care, construction, automotive, and the skilled trades.

Announced today by Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister David Piccini, the sixth round of SDF funding aims to help employers and organizations hire, train, and upskill workers for good-paying jobs while keeping Ontario’s economy competitive amid global uncertainty and U.S. tariffs.

“Through this $260 million investment in the Skills Development Fund, we’re funding results-driven training to build the strong workforce we need to support workers and their families and keep building Ontario’s economy,” said Minister Piccini during the Toronto announcement.

Since its launch in 2021, the SDF has backed over 1,000 projects provincewide, connecting more than 700,000 people to better jobs. This new round of funding is part of Ontario’s $2.5 billion commitment over three years to strengthen its workforce and protect the economy.

✅ We’re Launching our Sixth Round of the Skills Development Fund.

We’re investing up to $260 million to support innovative training projects that help workers gain the necessary skills they need for good-paying, in-demand jobs in the skilled trades.

This funding will help… pic.twitter.com/jgTXPuYHAy

— David Piccini (@DavidPiccini) July 29, 2025

Toronto-Based Training Projects Announced

Alongside the sixth round launch, the province also unveiled over $20 million in funding through Round 5 of the SDF, set to train 4,825 workers and jobseekers across various industries:

• Support Ontario Youth: $3.75M to help 1,325 jobseekers and apprentices in 15 skilled trades.

• Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters: $1.43M to train 500 individuals, including women, youth, and newcomers, for manufacturing jobs.

• Unite Here Local 75: $5.5M to provide 1,440 jobseekers with skills training in Ontario’s hospitality sector.

• Finishing Trades Institute of Ontario: $3.77M for painting and glazing trades training and upskilling.

• Ontario Electrical League: $2.99M to address labour shortages in the electrical sector.

• Workers First Technologies: $2.01M for digital cross-training of health care workers.

• Youth Employment Services (YES): $1.1M to provide AI and cyber skills training to unemployed youth and underrepresented groups.

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy emphasized that this funding strengthens Ontario’s resilience. “In the face of continued economic headwinds, we are leveraging this latest round of funding to hire, train, and upskill current and future generations of workers who will empower our province’s economic growth, and help us protect Ontario,” he said.

Applications Now Open

Applications for Round 6 funding are open until October 1, 2025, through Transfer Payment Ontario. Eligible applicants include employers, training providers, unions, hospitals, Indigenous organizations, and community groups.

The SDF Training Stream complements the fund’s Capital Stream, which supports upgrades or new builds of training centres across Ontario.

More details on the SDF Training Stream and project participation are available on the Ontario Skills Development Fund website.

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