New Funding Will Support Workers in the Face of American Tariffs and Economic Uncertainty
NEWS
May 6, 2025
BEAMSVILLE – As the next step in its plan to protect Ontario workers in the face of tariffs and economic uncertainty, the provincial government is expanding its Skills Development Fund by nearly $1 billion over the next three years, for a total of $2.5 billion. This funding will help train and reskill Ontario workers, including those directly impacted by layoffs resulting from tariffs and ensure they have the necessary support to find good-paying jobs and help strengthen Ontario’s economy.
"In a border community like Niagara, this increased support for the Skills Development Fund is critical to help protect workers and job creators," said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.
"This investment will help secure our future by providing opportunities for good jobs and careers with secure paycheques."
"We are already seeing the impact of President Trump's tariffs and the economic uncertainty he has created on Ontario workers," said Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario.
"My message to these workers and their families is clear - we will always have your backs. Today's announcement of a further $1 billion in the Skills Development Fund is just the latest step in our plan to protect Ontario by investing in workers and making sure they have the support they need to succeed, no matter what comes our way."
To help Ontario workers gain in-demand skills and practical hands-on experience, the government is expanding the Skills Development Fund by $955 million over three years starting in 2025-26.
This includes $705 million in new funding through the upcoming 2025 Ontario Budget to train more workers through the Training Stream of the Skills Development Fund, building on the additional $100 million announced in January 2025. These funds will support more projects that will help build Ontario and protect workers and jobs in industries expected to face pressures from American tariffs, including manufacturing and health care.
Through the upcoming 2025 Ontario Budget, the government is also providing $150 million over three years starting in 2025-26 to support increased demand in the Capital Stream of the Skills Development Fund. This investment will help more organizations build, expand and retrofit their training facilities to deliver better training programs and help more workers get better jobs and bigger paycheques.
"Ontario's prosperity is built with the hands of skilled workers," said Hon. David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
"Through the Skills Development Fund, our government is making historic investments in the training, tools and supports that workers need to succeed. Ontario's greatest competitive advantage is our highly skilled, world-class workers and today's investment strengthens their paycheques and ensures Ontario remains strong in the face of global uncertainty."
The province is protecting Ontario's workers against American tariffs and economic uncertainty. These new investments through the Skills Development Fund brings the total funding commitment from the province to $2.5 billion, continuing to demonstrate the government's support for major industries and sectors while training the workers needed to build and strengthen Ontario’s economy.
"Our government has a plan to protect and support the training of the province's highly skilled and world class workforce against American tariffs and for generations to come," said Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance.
"Our government continues to demonstrate our commitment to invest in our greatest resource, our workers. With these investments through the Skills Development Fund streams, we are taking bold actions to support our workers and businesses, while ensuring the economic prosperity of the province."
More information about the government's plan to protect Ontario, grow our economy and make Ontario the most competitive jurisdiction in the G7 to invest, will be included in the 2025 Ontario Budget, to be released on May 15, 2025.
Quick Facts:
More than 500,000 workers are expected to be needed to fill job openings in skilled trades-related occupations in Ontario over the next decade.
Since the program was launched in 2021, the Ontario government has invested $2.5 billion through both streams of the Skills Development Fund, supporting the training of over one million workers for in-demand careers across the province.
The Skills Development Fund is comprised of two funding streams: The Training Stream, which supports hiring, training and upskilling programs for jobseekers, apprentices and workers, and the Capital Stream, which supports upgrades or construction of training centres for high-demand jobs in key sectors of Ontario's economy such as skilled trades.
- The Capital Stream of the Skills Development Fund is exclusively funded by the Ontario government. The Training Stream is supported through labour market transfer agreements between the Government of Canada and the province.
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