The Government of Ontario has relaunched the Canada Ontario Job Grant under a new name, the Ontario Job Grant (OJG). The updated program officially opened on May 4, 2026, and applications are now being accepted through the Ontario government’s online portal.
What it supports
The Ontario Job Grant helps employers train and upskill their workforce. It is designed to improve employee retention, support workforce adaptability, help unemployed individuals gain job-ready skills through employer-led training, and make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to access essential and technical training.
Funding details
Small employers (fewer than 100 employees): The government covers up to five-sixths of training costs, to a maximum of $10,000 per employee
Large employers (100 or more employees): Costs are shared on a 50/50 basis, up to $10,000 per employee
New hire stream: Up to $15,000 per person in fully funded training for previously unemployed individuals, with no employer contribution required
Note about other provinces:
– Alberta runs the Canada-Alberta Job Grant (CAJG), one of the most generous in the country, offering up to $15,000 per trainee with 100% government coverage when hiring unemployed individuals, backed by a $39 million funding pool through 2028.
– British Columbia offers the Employer Training Grant (ETG), which covers 80% of training costs — higher than the national standard of 66.7% — with a $300,000 annual cap per employer.
– Manitoba administers the Canada-Manitoba Job Grant (CMJG) under standard federal terms, covering up to two-thirds of training costs up to $10,000 per employee.
– Nova Scotia replaced its legacy program in early 2026 with the Workplace Innovation and Productivity Skills Incentive (WIPSI), which now covers 100% of the first $10,000 in training costs for small businesses — a significant improvement over the previous two-thirds coverage.
– New Brunswick launched WorkingNB, a consolidated portal offering up to $40,000 per year in combined training and wage funding, and uniquely permits in-house training at Level 2.
– Newfoundland & Labrador, PEI, and the territories each have provincial or territorial streams available through their respective labour departments under standard Canada Job Grant terms.
– Saskatchewan eliminated its program entirely with no replacement, meaning employers there must rely solely on federal programs.
– Quebec is the only province that never participated in the Canada Job Grant framework and has no equivalent stream under this program.