Ontario Investing $10 Million to Train Workers in Shipbuilding and Repair

 The Ontario government is investing $10 million through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream with Ontario Shipyards Inc. to train and upskill workers for careers in the shipbuilding and repair sector. This is part of the government’s up to $1.4 billion investment through the SDF to partner with employers, labour unions and other local organizations to connect jobseekers with employers, grow the province’s workforce and drive Ontario’s productivity.

“We’re proud to invest in the workers who are powering Ontario’s world-class shipbuilding industry here in St. Catharines and in communities across the province,” said Premier Doug Ford. “We need all levels of government to step up and recognize the extraordinary potential of this industry and its workers by ensuring that much-needed Canadian vessels are built in Ontario, by Ontario shipbuilders.”

Ontario Shipyards Inc. will deliver training, re-skilling and up-skilling programs for careers in the millwright, welding, electrical and painting trades in St. Catharines, Hamilton and Thunder Bay. Courses will include ship building and ship repair, shipyard orientation and health and safety procedures, along with professional development, leadership training and mentoring to recruit and retain the next generation of leaders and workers.

“Under Premier Ford, our government is proud to partner with major employers across the province to create tens of thousands of highly-skilled, well-paying jobs and ensure local workers have the training and opportunity to thrive in these careers,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “Today’s announcement is a $10 million investment in manufacturing workers and is yet another example of how our government is delivering better training for workers across the province.”

Applications are open for the government’s fifth round of SDF Training Stream, which opened on July 29, 2024, with up to $260 million in available funding, the largest funding round announced since the Fund launched in 2021. This round of funding brings Ontario’s total investment through the SDF to up to $1.4 billion. As Ontario continues to grow, the SDF will help ensure skilled workers are trained and ready to fill rewarding jobs in in-demand sectors in their communities.

This investment to grow Ontario’s shipbuilding and repair workforce is part of the province’s strategy to strengthen the province’s position as a leader in marine transportation, as outlined in The Future of the Great Lakes Economy: Ontario’s Marine Transportation Strategy.

“Niagara has a strong marine legacy of building ships with remarkable workmanship and skill. This investment from the Skills Development Fund in Ontario Shipyards will provide strong opportunities for good jobs and careers with bigger paycheques for many Niagara workers, as we build world-class ships. This is what getting it done for economic growth looks like in our region.”

Sam Oosterhoff
Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries and MPP for Niagara West

“I am excited to see yet another investment in the upskilling of workers in St. Catharines and the Niagara Region. We know that our industrial base is capable of meeting the demands of the 21st-century, with the right training opportunities. The provincial government’s investment is a welcome step for the workers of our community.”

Mat Siscoe
Mayor of St. Catharines

EN: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1004961/ontario-investing-10-million-to-train-workers-in-shipbuilding-and-repair

FR: https://news.ontario.ca/fr/release/1004961/lontario-investit-10-millions-de-dollars-pour-former-des-travailleurs-dans-le-secteur-de-la-construction-et-de-la-reparation-navales