Skills Development Fund investments will prepare more than 310 women across Ontario for in-demand careers in the skilled trades
KITCHENER — The Ontario government is supporting workers’ training and economic growth through the sixth round of the Skills Development Fund Training Stream. Through an investment of nearly $3.9 million across four training projects, Ontario aims to help more than 310 women, including survivors of gender-based violence and others facing barriers to employment, access training and prepare for rewarding, in-demand careers in the skilled trades. These projects will provide specialized training, mentorship, employment supports and connections to employers, helping participants build the skills and experience they need to achieve greater financial independence, while ensuring Ontario has the skilled workforce needed to stay competitive and resilient in the face of U.S. tariffs.
“As we build the homes, highways, hospitals and critical infrastructure Ontario needs, women have an important role to play in meeting that demand,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “Our government is breaking down barriers so more women, including survivors of gender-based violence, can build the skills, experience and confidence to succeed in the skilled trades. This is about opening doors to rewarding careers, greater financial independence and a stronger future for workers, families and employers across Ontario.”
The Ontario government is partnering with four organizations to deliver training and workforce development opportunities for women across the province. Together, these projects will provide participants with the training, mentorship, employment supports and workplace connections they need to build rewarding careers and achieve greater financial independence in occupations such as carpentry, cabinetmaking, machinery and transportation equipment mechanics, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), construction supervision and project management.
The following recipients are receiving funding:
- Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region is receiving $2,000,048 to help 42 women who are survivors of gender-based violence prepare for jobs in the skilled trades. Participants will receive skills training, employment supports and wraparound services to help them secure employment and build careers in carpentry, cabinetmaking, machinery mechanics and transportation equipment mechanics.
- The Redwood for Women and Children Fleeing Abuse is receiving $914,110 to provide 100 survivors of gender-based violence with training, mentorship, financial assistance and trauma-informed supports. The project will help more women gain the skills needed to build careers as HVAC technicians, gas fitters, refrigeration mechanics and other construction-related skilled trades professionals.
- Canadian Association of Women in Construction is receiving $459,675 to train 120 women for supervisory and project management roles in construction through skills training, mentorship, employment supports and employer connections.
- Metro Labour Education and Skills Training Centre is receiving $496,153 to help 50 women remain employed and advance in their careers through employment opportunities, wraparound supports and inclusive workplace training.
The new SDF Training Stream Round 6 projects have been evaluated, selected and will be delivered through a strengthened program that aligns with recommendations from the Auditor General’s 2025 program review. These enhancements include:
- Tracking longer-term employment outcomes at three, six and 12 months to better measure success and improve program monitoring.
- Increasing transparency by requiring applications to disclose the use of registered lobbyists and consultants, with information verified against Ontario’s Lobbyists Registry.
- Strengthening project selection through a more rigorous project screening, risk assessment and evaluation process.
Above and beyond the Auditor General’s recommendations, the ministry also implemented new tools for risk management and due diligence, including analyzing individuals associated with applications, in addition to the organization.
The enhanced SDF Training Stream Round 6 is part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario by ensuring workers are prepared with the skills needed for in-demand careers. By investing in training and upskilling projects, the government is helping protect Ontario workers and communities by building the skilled workforce needed to build stronger, more resilient communities.
Quick Facts
- SDF is contributing to achievements across the labour market. In Round 4, more than 14,000 people achieved employment and more than 67,000 upskilled after completing their SDF training.
- In 2025, there were more than 385,000 women working in skilled trades-related professions in Ontario, representing almost one-third of Ontario’s skilled trades workforce.
- There are more women going into the skilled trades than any time in the history of the Ministry’s data collection, with 15 per cent of active apprentices being female.
- Through Rounds 1-5, Ontario’s SDF Training Stream has helped more than 120,000 participants find employment within 60 days of completing their program.
- Ontario is helping attract, train and retain more women in the skilled trades through initiatives such as the SDF, Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), Skills Ontario’s young women’s initiatives and Level Up! skilled trades career fairs, while also making workplaces more inclusive through measures such as setting standards for washrooms on construction sites and properly fitting personal protective equipment.
- People interested in participating in the projects announced today should contact the lead organizations.
- The SDF Training Stream Round 6 is funded exclusively by the Government of Ontario.
Quotes
“Our government is taking decisive action to build and protect Ontario’s highly skilled workforce amid global economic threats. Through this investment, we’re ensuring that hundreds of women across the province get the hands-on training they need to land in-demand, good-paying jobs in Ontario’s booming skilled trades sectors.”
– Nolan Quinn
Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security
“Every woman in Ontario deserves the opportunity to build a rewarding career that provides financial security, independence, and a strong future. By investing in training and removing barriers to employment, we are helping women access new opportunities in the skilled trades and build careers that can support themselves and their families. Through partnerships with colleges, employers and community organizations, our government is ensuring women have the skills, support, and opportunities they need to succeed and contribute to Ontario’s economy. Our government knows that when women succeed, Ontario succeeds.”
– Charmaine Williams
Associate Minister of Women’s Social & Economic Opportunity
“In my years prosecuting intimate partner violence, a barrier I saw frequently was financial dependence. Women stay in abusive relationships because their income, their housing, and their ability to care for their children are tied to the person harming them. The SHE Builds program helps address that barrier by building on what our gender-based violence service providers already have, which is trusted relationships with the women in their communities. That means they can connect the women most affected by financial dependence with training that puts them on a path to a well-paying career in the trades.”
– Jess Dixon
Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener South – Hespeler
“Waterloo Region is growing, and we need a skilled workforce that grows with it. The investment in the Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region will help more women overcome barriers, build rewarding careers in the skilled trades and help local employers find skilled workers. By creating more opportunities close to home, we’re strengthening our local economy and fulfilling our plan to turn Ontario into one of the most competitive and self-reliant economies in the G7.”
– Mike Harris
Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener – Conestoga
“Skilled trades are an important part of Cambridge and Waterloo Region’s economy, and we want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to build a rewarding career in this sector. This investment will help women across Waterloo Region gain the training, experience and support they need to pursue in-demand careers while helping local employers find the skilled workers they need to grow. I’m proud to see our government continuing to break down barriers and create more opportunities for women to succeed in the skilled trades.”
– Brian Riddell
Member of Provincial Parliament for Cambridge
“These investments will provide more than 310 women with access to training, mentorship, employment supports and meaningful pathways to rewarding careers in the skilled trades. By removing barriers and creating opportunities for women to build their skills and advance in the workforce, we are strengthening Ontario’s skilled trades sector. Women bring valuable talent, experience and leadership to the workforce, and their continued participation will be essential to meeting Ontario’s future skilled labour needs.”
– Candice White
CEO & Registrar, Skilled Trades Ontario
“Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region is honoured to be the lead organization for SHE Builds and to stand alongside community partners, creating a safer and more equitable skilled trades industry. We are grateful for the support of the Government of Ontario and the Skills Development Fund, which helps ensure this program is as low-barrier as possible. SHE Builds will provide women and gender-diverse individuals who have experienced gender-based violence with the opportunity to earn skilled trades certificates at no or low cost, while also gaining access to mentorship and work placements. Together with our partners, we are wrapping survivors in support throughout their journey and are helping with entry into skilled trades, creating safer futures and long-term financial independence.”
– Jennifer Hutton
CEO, Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region
“Ontario needs more people to build successful, lasting careers in the skilled trades, and that means ensuring women have not only a pathway into these jobs, but also the support they need to stay, advance, and succeed. Through the Skills Development Fund, the Labour Education Centre is working alongside labour organizations, employers, and community partners to remove barriers, strengthen pathways into the trades, and help more women build meaningful, long-term careers in sectors where Ontario needs skilled workers.”
– Fayzal Samji
Executive Director, Labour Education Centre
“We applaud the Government of Ontario for recognizing that building the province’s future means investing not only in infrastructure, but in the people who lead the work. By supporting pathways for women to develop the supervisory and leadership skills our industry needs, the government is helping address critical workforce gaps and creating meaningful opportunities for women to advance and succeed in the construction industry. Through CAWIC 2.0, we are proud to build on this commitment and help develop a stronger, more inclusive and resilient construction workforce across Ontario.”
– Kristen Bauer
President, Canadian Association of Women in Construction (CAWIC)
“At The Redwood, we see how financial insecurity limits a survivor’s ability to rebuild their lives free from violence. It is, in fact, the single greatest barrier to safety. At the same time, survivors often face significant employment precarity – disrupted work histories, frequent job changes, reduced performance due to trauma, and abusers sabotaging their ability to earn an income. The cost of abuse is not only traumatizing, but it is also profoundly expensive. A career in the skilled trades can interrupt this cycle, offering stability, great salaries, pensions, and benefits that create a foundation for lasting financial independence. Through the Ontario government’s Skills Development Fund, 100 survivors will now have the opportunity to step into in-demand skilled trades careers and take control of their future destinies, providing the security needed to support themselves and their families. Thank you for supporting The Redwood’s EmpowerHer Trades: HVAC & Skilled Trades Program!”
– Abi Ajibolade
Executive Director, The Redwood: A Safe Haven for Women and Children Fleeing Abuse
