A well-trained workforce is agile and can easily adapt to change, making beneficial decisions more quickly. Many small businesses in Ontario recognize the need to provide employee training but are hesitant to provide it due to the increased costs it requires. The Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) helps reduce this cost to companies by providing government grant funding covering up to 66% of eligible training costs to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee. Two-thirds of eligible training costs are provided to small businesses to engage in third-party training programs. COJG is a provincial variant of the Canada Job Grant program which seeks to provide funding across most provinces to address the specific training needs of employees to further their development and employability. The federal government has committed $192 million per year towards the training of Ontario employees between 2014 and 2020, and a wide range of businesses are encouraged to apply for this Ontario government grant.
Canada-Ontario Job Grant Funding for Business: Eligibility Factors
COJG has been developed to assist businesses’ investment into their workforce, training employees to gain new skills and improve their employability. The Canada Job Grant’s objective is to enable training that will lead to a job title promotion, increase in salary, or the retention of jobs that are otherwise at risk. To qualify for the training grant, companies must comply with the following types of training and eligible expenses.
Eligible Training under the Canada-Ontario Job Grant
Not all training programs are recognized as eligible through COJG. To receive these training grants, the training received must provide both employee and employer with clear benefits. Generally, training programs must be administered through:
- College or University courses (including private career colleges);
- Third-party training (on products, software, etc.); and
- Product vendor training.
What Expenses are Eligible under COJG Ontario Government Funding?
Most businesses can expect to receive 66% of eligible third-party training expenses including:
- Third-party trainer expenses;
- Course registration and tuition fees;
- Textbooks and course materials;
- Software required to complete training programs; and
- Examination expenses.
Although this program is not a wage subsidy, small businesses with less than 50 employees are able to contribute 50% of their company contributions in trainee wages. For example, a $9,000 training course would be covered by grants from COJG for up to $6,000. The remaining $3,000 in company contributions can be covered with $1,500 cash and $1,500 wages (to be reimbursed by COJG).
Discover Resources to Learn More about Canada-Ontario Job Grant
If you believe your business is eligible to receive funding through the Canada-Ontario Job Grant, contact Mentor Works and one of our Canadian Government Funding Experts will assist your next steps. Learn more about the Canada-Ontario Job Grant by selecting one of the options below.
Get Started Eligibility Criteria FAQ
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