The OGCA applauds the Ontario government‘s recent announcement of a $20.8 million investment to tackle shortages in the skilled trades. This investment will attract more people to the trades and boost Ontario's skilled workforce.
Through the Ontario Skilled Trades Alliance, the OGCA has worked diligently with its partner associations and the provincial government to tackle the province’s skilled trade deficit. We believe this is a monumental step made by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. One in five careers in the next decade will be in trades-related occupations.
The investment hopes to help introduce over 1,800 people to the skilled trades so that they can secure trades-related careers.
In the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario will fund 28 projects for over 600 people to get training in a variety of trades like automotive service technician, arborist, electrician, hairstylist, carpenter, welder and a number of others.
The program is delivered by Ontario colleges, private career colleges, union and non-union training centres and other community organizations. There are over 140 skilled trades in Ontario.