Skills Development Fund (SDF) Open Intake Additional $90M to Address Labour Market Shortage

By Alena Barreca, Mentor Works

Atotal of 388 approved training projects were supported by the Skills Development Fund (SDF) in its previous two funding rounds, assisting more than 393,000 people in finding careers in competitive industries. Specifically addressing the current labour market shortage, where over 370,000 jobs are unfilled across Ontario, the SDF has now opened for a third round of funding with an additional $90 million investment.

Eligible non-profit and for-profit – Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, businesses can now apply to receive funding for workforce development projects from Training and Skills Development the third round of the Skills Development Fund (SDF) which has an open intake from September 29, 2022, to January 31, 2023.

Through the SDF, organisations are supported to develop innovative training programs to address job shortages in Ontario following the COVID-19 pandemic. SDF hopes to prioritize projects that help newcomers from Ukraine, people with disabilities, people returning from prison, at-risk youth, Indigenous peoples, and others who face difficulties finding suitable employment.

An additional $90 million has been invested by the Ontario government in this third round of funding, bringing the total to over $560 million invested to Canadian businesses for innovative workplace development projects via the Skills Development Fund (SDF).

The Skills Development Fund (SDF) seeks to invest in projects that will:

• Increase employment in key sectors of the Ontario economy and address labour shortages;

• By developing a resilient and sustainable workforce, Ontario can increase its long-term economic competitiveness;

• Assist those having difficulty finding employment, such as people with disabilities, new Ukrainian immigrants, and people leaving the criminal justice system.

SDF projects do not have to meet any minimum or maximum funding criteria to be considered eligible. However, it is worth noting that:

• Large capital projects with budgets over $150,000 will be prioritized in a dedicated stream; and • When applying for the SDF, applicants are encouraged to seek additional funding sources for their project expenses.

The following businesses are eligible to apply to the Skills Development Fund (SDF):

• Ontario-based employers;

• Professional, industry, employer, or sector associations that are for profit;

• Including Indigenous Band Offices and Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Agreement holders with a physical presence in Ontario;

• Co-applicants for apprenticeship training (other than those listed below); • Organizations affiliated with unions;

• Consolidated Municipal Service Managers, municipalities, and district social services administration boards; and

• Private career colleges registered under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005 and/or public colleges, universities or Indigenous Institutes in Ontario are eligible to apply as co-applicants.

Manage all aspects of your business in a single solution Connects data, processes and departments. Quality management, production planning & control, identification, and labelling

Projects applying for Skills Development Funds (SDFs) must demonstrate:

• Provide employment assistance to workers and job seekers facing higher barriers to entry;

• Develop innovative training solutions and encourage partnerships across the economy to address the labour shortage; and

• Support access to the labor market in order to create a resilient workforce.

In addition to the above eligible projects, eligible expenses may include, but are not limited to:

• Costs associated with staffing, training, marketing, and mental health;

• Training and employment services via the Internet;

• Support for apprenticeship training (virtual, in-class, equipment) and on-the-job training; • Innovating new approaches to training (such as e-learning delivery, online assessments, virtual simulations, or other alternatives to block release);

• Costs associated with the delivery of services, such as new training equipment, vehicles, or mobile units;

• Provide job seekers and apprentices with wraparound support; and

• Consumables and materials used by participants in delivering the project.

Please consider applying for SDF support early on as funds are limited to first-come, first-serve. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis during the intake period.

Non-profit and for-profit business interested in applying for Skills Development Fund (SDF) government funding can submit an application from September 29, 2022, to January 31, 2023.

Need help? Our Mentor Works team of professional government application writers can help determine the likelihood a project will be eligible for funding and assist your business with the application process.