OTTAWA — The Ontario government is investing over $4 million through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) to upgrade a SMART Local 47 training centre for sheet metal workers and expand their training curriculum to include French-language materials, enabling them to train more than 500 additional workers over the next five years. With this expanded curriculum, the Gloucester training centre becomes the first in Ontario to offer training in French to sheet metal workers.
“Under Premier Ford, our government has an ambitious plan to build Ontario: from new housing that families can call home, to highways and public transit connecting our communities, and advanced manufacturing driving our economy,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “But with one in three tradespeople nearing retirement, we must transfer the skills and expertise from the Golden Generation of Skilled Tradespeople to the next generation of students. That’s why we’re partnering with SMART 47 to expand and enhance their training facility here in Ottawa to train the next generation of workers who will leverage the wisdom of experienced tradespeople to build Ontario's bright future. This includes providing Ontario’s first French-language training program for sheet metal working to enable more Francophone Ontarians to receive training in their native tongue – because a career in the skilled trades is for everyone.”
Funding will enhance the training capacity, infrastructure, and learning environment to address the shortage of qualified tradespeople in the region. These projects are:
- SMART Local 47: Training Centre Expansion: $4,001,416 through the SDF Capital Stream to build an expansion to the existing training centre to train 528 people over five years. This training centre expansion will allow for curriculum growth and will foster additional collaboration opportunities within the industry, including internships, apprenticeships, and job placements.
- SMART Local 47 Training programs: $54,000 though the SDF Training Stream to translate and implement a French-language curriculum for apprenticeship and safety training programs. This aims to make the training program more attractive for Francophone apprentices, which may lead to higher completion rates.
The province is committed to cultivating a diverse workforce and expanding training opportunities. To this end, Ontario is investing in the development of a French language curriculum which will increase training capacity and make it easier for Francophone workers to access essential skills development. This initiative will help ensure no one is left behind in Ontario’s effort to build a stronger, more skilled workforce.
Over the next decade, Ontario will need more than 500,000 additional workers in skilled trades-related occupations. To address this demand, the government is investing in the province’s training infrastructure through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Capital Stream. This funding will support facility expansions, renovations, repairs and retrofits, and new building construction across key industries. These enhanced training centres are expected to help thousands of additional workers get the training they need to land better jobs and ensure employers have the skilled workforce they need today and tomorrow.
Applications are open for the government’s fifth round of the SDF Training Stream with up to $260 million in available funding, the largest funding round announced since the fund launched in 2021. With the fifth round of SDF Training Stream and the Capital Stream, this brings the Ontario government’s investment up to $1.4 billion to grow Ontario’s workforce for in-demand careers, including in the skilled trades.