Ontario Helping Job Seekers and Youth Get Training and Find Rewarding Careers in Leeds and Grenville

The government is investing $2.4 million to help 3,200 people gain the skills they need!

BROCKVILLE — The Ontario government is investing more than $2.4 million through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream to help 3,200 youth, job seekers and apprentices in Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes and Eastern Ontario prepare for in-demand careers in the skilled trades. This funding is a part of our broader effort to strengthen Ontario’s workforce, improve productivity, and protect workers from U.S. tariffs. This investment underpins our government’s $2.5 billion investment to promote better training, better jobs, with bigger paycheques.

“The Skills Development Fund has been an incredible success in Leeds and Grenville, and I hear regularly from people who have benefited from the training programs our government is funding. This opportunity has put them on a path to a life-changing career,” said Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. “We’ve been able to bring training programs back to Kemptville Campus that support our agricultural sector, and I’m pleased Junior Achievement is now able to help more youth explore the skilled trades.”

MPP Clark was joined at the announcement by Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario, which is receiving a $609,398 investment through the SDF Training Stream to deliver the Empowerment of Youth in Skilled Trades project. The initiative will promote careers in the skilled trades to 2,650 students in Eastern Ontario through hands-on training, mentorship and paid placements for 40 students in high-demand sectors such as construction, manufacturing, motive power and aviation.

The funding was previously announced by David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, on August 15.

Locally, Junior Achievement is partnering with Canarm and Millers Bay Farm, which are offering students the chance to work directly in agriculture, both in the fields and in building agricultural equipment.

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is protecting Ontario by investing in the tools, training, and resources needed to keep our workforce strong,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “Through targeted funding, we’re strengthening our supply chains, growing a job-ready workforce, and building the foundation for a more self-reliant and productive province – one that can compete, deliver, and win.”

In addition to the funding for Junior Achievement, MPP Clark also announced that the Kemptville Campus and T.R. Leger Apprenticeship Accelerator: Powering Motive Trades for 2025 and Beyond program will receive $1,814,718 through the Skills Development Fund. The project will address barriers to Red Seal Apprenticeship completion and boost awareness of the skilled trades for 550 workers.

“Too often, young people have the talent and drive to succeed in the skilled trades but lack the opportunities to explore and prepare for these careers. Every young person deserves the chance to turn their dreams into achievable goals, no matter where they start,” said John McNutt, President & CEO, Junior Achievement Northern and Eastern Ontario. “At Junior Achievement, we open doors through financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship education, giving youth the tools to create their own opportunities. With the Skill Development Fund’s support, our programs in the skilled trades go beyond teaching technical skills; they build confidence, spark ambition, and show young people that their future is theirs to shape.”

“Skilled-trades training is a critical component of a resilient local economy. Today’s announcement equips 3,200 people across our region with the skills employers need – while helping businesses in agriculture, construction, and manufacturing fill critical roles,” said Nancy Peckford, Mayor of North Grenville. “North Grenville is proud to have been a strong voice alongside our MPP Steve Clark to invest in apprenticeships at the Kemptville Campus, so we can leverage organizations like Junior Achievement, T.R. Léger, as well as our industry partners, to deliver results. We are thrilled that the government of Ontario continues to see the tremendous merit in offering skills training locally, so that more youth and adults in our region have access to well-paying jobs in the trades.”

The Skills Development Fund Training Stream is open to a wide range of applicants, including employers, industry associations, labour unions, hospitals and many more. The funding announced today builds on our government’s mission to protect Ontario and ensure it remains the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

Since its launch in 2021, Ontario’s Skills Development Fund has helped connect more than half a million job seekers with the skills and training they need to find good-paying and fulfilling careers close to home.

QUICK FACTS

• To date, the Skills Development Fund Training Stream has supported over 1,000 training projects across the province.
• Since its launch in 2021, Ontario’s SDF Training Stream has aimed to help over 700,000 workers train for in-demand sectors, including over 154,000 construction workers, over 124,000 manufacturing workers and over 52,000 personal support workers and health care workers.
• People interested in participating in the programs announced today are encouraged to contact the lead organizations of the projects directly.
• The Skills Development Fund Training Stream is supported through labour market transfer agreements between the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.
• As announced in the 2025 Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario, the Ontario government is investing an additional $1 billion through SDF to grow the trades workforce and build Ontario, bringing Ontario’s total investment in the SDF to $2.5 billion.