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Government of Ontario — Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development · Provincial

Skills Development Fund Training Stream (Ontario)

Reviewed by G Paul · verified May 1, 2026

Organization-level grants vary by project (hundreds of thousands to several million CAD)

Total value

About this award

Ontario's flagship workforce-development funding for innovative training projects — funds organizations (employers, industry associations, training providers), NOT individual workers. Individual learners benefit by enrolling in SDF-funded programs. Application periods open and close; current period is closed.

The Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream is the Ontario government's flagship grant programme for innovative workforce-development projects — supporting employers, industry associations, training delivery agents, unions, post-secondary institutions, and community organizations to develop, deliver, or scale training that addresses identified labour-market gaps. Critically: SDF funds ORGANIZATIONS, not individual workers. If you're searching for funding for your own retraining, the SDF Training Stream isn't a program you apply to directly — you instead enrol in training programs that your employer, your post-secondary institution, or a training delivery agent funds with their SDF grant. Individual workers asking 'how can I use the SDF to fund my AWS certification?' are typically pointed to Better Jobs Ontario or to enrol in micro-credential programs already offered by SDF-funded providers. The application period for the SDF Training Stream cycles — currently closed (as of late 2026); the next intake window is announced on ontario.ca. SDF projects have funded everything from rapid-cycle micro-credential programs in cybersecurity and cloud computing to apprenticeship-readiness programs to skill-bridging programs for newcomers.

Can you get it?

Trades, Professional, Certificate — study level
Resident of ON — provincial eligibility

How to apply

Review eligibility and gather your documents~1 hour
Read the official award page end-to-end. Confirm you meet every requirement before you start.
Submit before the posted deadline~1 hour
Check the official source for the current deadline: save a copy and submit at least 24 hours early.

More details

Strategy

If you're an INDIVIDUAL WORKER searching for retraining funding: this is NOT the program for you directly — look at Better Jobs Ontario (for laid-off / underemployed workers) or Canada Apprentice Loan (for trades).

Strategy

However, the training programs you enrol in MAY be SDF-funded, which often translates to lower or zero tuition for the learner.

Strategy

Ask your training provider explicitly whether their program is SDF-funded — if yes, your individual cost may already be subsidised.

Strategy

If you're an EMPLOYER, INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, OR TRAINING PROVIDER: watch ontario.ca for the next intake announcement.

Strategy

Successful SDF applications combine clear labour-market evidence (the gap your project fills), an innovative training design (not just 'we'll run a course'), and partnerships across the workforce-development ecosystem.

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