funding for training in ontario
Building on the success of the original Operating Stream of the SDF Program, the Government of Ontario has established the SDF Capital Stream to provide major capital investments to build new training centres, upgrade existing training centres or convert existing facilities into training centres with state-of-the-art design and technology. This includes facility renovations, retrofits, expansions, conversions, repairs and building construction. The SDF Capital Stream supports projects that enable education and skills development, enhance training capacity and delivery, and facilitate economic growth in emerging and in-demand sectors of Ontario’s economy and sectors experiencing labour
market challenges.
The design principles of the SDF Capital Stream support capital investment and the use of risk management strategies to ensure prudent use of public funding.
The following are SDF Capital Stream design principles:
- Support capital investment applications that demonstrate due diligence, ensure cost effectiveness, complement the SDF Operating Stream and achieve measurable Outcomes.
- Accountable use of public funds in the administration of funding to selected Recipients that meet eligibility requirements as Primary Applicants.
Funding Overview
Projects that receive funding from federal or municipal government sources will be considered for SDF Capital Stream funding, provided that Recipients contribute a minimum of 30% of the Total Eligible Costs for the SDF Capital Project.
There is no minimum or maximum amount of funding. However, preference will be given to projects with a budget greater than $150,000.
Design Development Payment
Upon the receipt and approval of the Recipient’s tender-level design drawings and associated construction documents and subject to compliance with the other conditions set forth in the TPA, the Recipient can receive a portion of the SDF Contribution in an amount equal to the Eligible Costs incurred in relation to the advancement of the
drawings to tender-level status up to a maximum amount of $100,000 (the Design Development Payment).
Eligibility Requirements
The following organizations are eligible to apply to the Skills Development Fund Capital Stream as a primary applicant:
- employers in Ontario (other than the educational organizations listed as being eligible to apply as partners)
- minister-approved, non-college apprenticeship program training delivery agents
- non-profit organizations including Indigenous band offices and Indigenous Skills and Employment Training agreement holders
- professional, industry or employer associations
- trade unions or union-affiliated organizations
- municipalities
- hospitals
- District Social Services Administration Boards
- Consolidated Municipal Service Managers
Eligible Activities
New Construction:
- New Construction – new asset (which may include dormitory space for exclusive useby trainees)
Conversion, Expansion, Renovation, Repair, Retrofit, Renovation:
- Conversion - changing a building from its current use (commercial, industrial, institutional, residential) into a new or different type of use
- Expansion – increasing capacity of a facility to deliver additional training, cross functional training, or real life platforms for safety demonstrations, and/or provide additional dormitory spaces for exclusive use by trainees to increase training capacity
- Renovate – updating the functionality of a facility to improve its usefulness
- Repair – fixing or restoring a facility to increase its useful life
- Retrofit – adding new features to improve the functionality or efficiency of a facility by modernizing existing features
The intake period opened on June 30, 2023 and closes on September 25, 2023.
