The Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) provides direct financial support to employers who wish to purchase training for their employees. The COJG program is a partnership between the federal and provincial governments to fund employer-driven training initiatives. The government covers 2/3 of the direct training costs up to $10,000 per trainee and employers are required to contribute 1/3 of the direct training costs.
The COJG’s purpose is to build skills in the workforce, training should support employees in obtaining more transferable knowledge, skills & abilities. Funds available in this program have been prioritized for those applications that show employee training that will create a new position, avoid layoff, lead to sustainable year round employment, or show increased wages for the trainee.
Summary:
Amount: $10,000 per employee
Eligibility Criteria:
Must be for-profit business of any size and industry OR non-profit organization acting on behalf of employers (e.g. industry association, union)
Must have a job vacancy and the training candidate fill the vacancy OR
Current employee must complete the training to improve existing or obtain new skills
Current employee or Candidate must be Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) entitled to work in Canada. Temporary workers are not eligible.
Cost Covered:
Training (tuition) fees for the skills training that:
Is more than 25 hours in length (not applicable for Ontario)
Is delivered by an outside training service provider or institution
Does not replace or replicate prior training
Completed within 52 weeks of the approval date
Results in some sort of credential (record of completion, certificate, grade, etc.)
Books & training supplies/materials
Examination fees
Other mandatory training fees, if applicable
It is up to employer to select the training service provider as long as the one provides a certificate or a record of the completion of the training.
Amount:
The program provides 2/3 of the training cost up to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee.
The maximum amount that one company can get per year is $300,000 (not applicable for Ontario).
Contribution Schedule:
1/3 of the eligible cost is reimbursed after the employer paid for the training and submitted a claim
1/3 of the eligible cost is reimbursed after the training is completed and the employer submitted a claim
Remaining 1/3 of eligible cost is employer’s share.
Special rules for small businesses in Ontario apply.