Canada-Ontario job grant

The Canada-Ontario Job Grant Program offers financial support to employers and businesses across Ontario. The program delivers short-term training for existing and new employees.

The COJG Program is unique in the sense that it provides employers with an opportunity to invest further in their employees by assisting them to offset the cost of training when it comes to upgrading their employees’ skills and knowledge. It helps to promote job advancement opportunities for employees, and this grant program allows employers to choose the individuals they would like to have trained and the training that meets their workforce development needs.

Benefits to Employers

Training to be delivered by an eligible third-party trainer or institution

  • Receive reimbursement of up to 80% for the cost of training
  • Available to all businesses in Ontario for short-term training of existing and new employees
  • Receive up to $10,000 per employee to offset cost of training

Given the complexity and financial implications of large-scale grant applications, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) has divided roles and responsibilities for delivery between itself and Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) service providers based on the number of participants identified in an employer’s grant application.

For training applications involving 25 or fewer participants, the COJG service provider will make grant funding decisions and manage/administer grant agreements with employers.

For training applications involving over 25 participants or consortium applicants, MTCU will make grant funding decisions and manage/administer grant agreements with employers.

To learn more, visit the government page on the Canada-Ontario Job Grant:

Canada-Ontario Job Grant

Support for an individual’s training costs under the Canada-Ontario Job Grant depends on whether the trainee is unemployed or an incumbent and on the size of the employer.

  • Employers with fewer than 100 employees who are training and hiring unemployed individuals are eligible for up to $15,000 per trainee and are not required to make a minimum contribution to training costs.
  • Employers with fewer than 100 employees who are training incumbent workers are required to contribute a minimum of one-sixth cash towards the training costs of each individual participating in training.
  • Employers with 100 or more employees are required to make a minimum of one-half cash contributions towards eligible training costs.

Individual employers and organizations acting on behalf of employers, (i.e., industry associations, training coordinators, employer consortia, and union halls) in the private and not-for-profit sectors are eligible to apply for the Canada-Ontario Job Grant.

  • contribute a minimum of one-half of eligible training costs in cash, if the employer has more than 100 employees.
  • contribute a minimum of one-sixth of eligible training costs in cash, if the employer has less than 100 employees.
  • employ the individual selected for training:
    • If the employer has hired a jobseeker to fill a vacancy, the job offer can be conditional upon the completion of training and,
    • If the employer has less than 100 employees can have cost of the training covered (up to $15,000).
  • be licensed to operate in Ontario.
  • be applying for training that is delivered in Ontario (for a job that is also located in Ontario).
  • maintain appropriate workplace insurance and comply with all applicable federal and provincial labour and human rights legislation.
  • a Canada-Ontario Job Grant service provider or an Employment Service provider.
  • receiving other government funds related to training the same individual (e.g., Youth Employment Fund).
  • a broader public sector organization, as defined by the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act.
  • be a resident of Ontario, and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person.
  • not already be participating in full-time education or training, including participation in any other government training program (e.g., apprenticeship) that offers similar training supports.
  • be sponsored by an employer.

Individual jobseekers can contact their Canada-Ontario Job Grant local service providers for the opportunity to be matched with an employer interested in training jobseekers under the grant.

How long will it take for my application to be processed?
For more information on timelines, please contact [email protected].