Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) provides opportunities for employers, individually or in groups, to invest in their workforce, with help from the government.

The Canada-Ontario Job Grant provides direct financial support to individual employers or employer consortia who wish to purchase training for their employees. It is available to small, medium and large businesses with a plan to deliver short-term training to existing and new employees.

The Grant provides direct financial support to individual employers who wish to purchase training for their workforce.

Employers choose individuals they want to train to meet their workforce development needs

COJG is delivered through cost-sharing agreements between individual
employers and government:

  • Large employers (100 or more employees) pay at least 1/2 of direct training costs. Note that there is additional flexibility for small employers (fewer than 100 employees) to contribute 1/6 of eligible training costs.

  • For large employers, Government covers 1/2 of direct training costs, up to $10,000 per trainee. Small employers who are training and hiring unemployed individuals may be eligible for 100% funding and up to $15,000 per trainee. The applications with “New Hire” trainees will be automatically assessed for 100% funding.

  • The maximum support for textbooks, software and other training materials are $500 for each trainee.

  • The maximum allowable support for travel costs are $500 per trainee and is only supported when the distance travelled is greater than 24 km each way.

  • If the employer has a travel costs policy, travel costs will be supported according to the employer’s policy up to the maximum $500 per trainee.

An employer must:

  • Contribute a minimum of half of eligible training costs in cash (unless they are a small employer with fewer than 100 employees);

  • Employ the individual selected for training;

  • Be licensed to operate in Ontario;

  • Be applying for training that is delivered in Ontario and is related to a job that is also located in Ontario;

  • Comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Employment Standards Act;

  • Maintain appropriate Workplace Safety and Insurance Board or private workplace safety insurance coverage;

  • Have adequate third party general liability insurance as advised by its insurance broker;

  • Comply with all applicable federal and provincial human rights legislation, regulations, and any other relevant standards.

For additional information:

Click on this link to find out more about the Canada Ontario Job Grant and apply directly to the program.

If you are interested in COJG and would like to speak with someone about the program, please contact Jaycee Antlej, at (705) 440-0890 or by email: jantlej@focuscdc.on.ca  

What our clients say about the Canada Job Grant Program…

As small business owners we need all the help we can get when it comes to staffing. As staff come and go we have to invest a lot of time (and time is money!) training new hires. Until staff are trained, they present very little return on investment to the bottom line. This is where FOCUS has helped us on several occasions through the Canada Ontario Job Grant Program. The program has provided funding to help offset the on-boarding and training costs associated with new hires. It has given us the means to hire people fueled with passion and enthusiasm but with little to no experience. Aside from the grants themselves, the staff at FOCUS are all very friendly, professional and competent, making the whole process easy for us.

  • Lachlan & Sharon McGurk, Owners, Bern’s Flowers & Gifts

We, the staff at Thermal Air Systems, are so thankful for the FOCUS Employment Service that have helped a few of our employees excel to have more training that they may not have been able to get otherwise. Lisa Griffin has been a pleasure to work with and is very thorough and very professional. She has been very helpful and personable and we hope to continue the relationship with Lisa at FOCUS for years to come.

We used the Canada Ontario Job Grant to send an employee to a floral design course. The process was very simple and efficient. Lisa from FOCUS led us through the paperwork process which was very helpful. I would recommend the assistance of FOCUS for anyone looking for Canada Job Grants

Lisa Griffin and the team at FOCUS were a huge help when we took advantage of the Canada Ontario Job Grant program. No question went unanswered and she was extremely responsive getting us the paperwork required. I would strongly suggest New Tecumseth business owners to connect with Focus to learn about the training assistance right in our own backyard.