CaDCR staff writer
The Ontario provincial government says it is investing more than $74 million in a new round of its Skills Development Fund (SDF) Capital Stream, which will support the construction, expansion, and retrofitting of training facilities across the province.
A $4.9 million investment from the first round of the SDF Capital Stream with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) will be applied to build a new $25 million crane training facility for more than 1,600 workers in Simcoe County near Barrie.
The SDF’s Capital Stream is designed to help train workers in high-demand sectors such as construction, manufacturing technology, and health care. The program provides funding to businesses and training providers for projects that aim to expand training capacity and build a more skilled workforce in Ontario.
The second round of the SDF Capital Stream will launch on Nov. 29, and will feature a new application process that allows for continuous intake of funding requests throughout the year. This new streamlined process includes the “SEED” pathway, which provides financial assistance for the upfront costs associated with developing construction proposals.
“With more than $74 million committed to training and workers across the province, this new round of funding through our Skills Development Fund Capital Stream will help thousands of additional Ontario workers find better jobs and bigger paycheques,” Premier Doug Ford said in a Nov. 12 statement.
“It’s especially great to be here in Oro-Medonte to announce nearly $5 million in support from the first round of funding and see first-hand how it’s making a difference in the lives of Ontario workers.”
The new IUOE facility, led by the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario (OETIO), will focus on training apprentices in mobile and tower crane operation, as well as heavy equipment.
The facility will include state-of-the-art equipment, simulation labs, workshops, and an outdoor training area for tower cranes. It will also include classrooms, offices, and a cafeteria. The center will train more than 1,600 jobseekers, including youth, Indigenous peoples, and newcomers, and will play a key role in building a talent pipeline for the construction industry across Ontario.
“Under Premier Ford, our government has an ambitious plan to build Ontario — from new housing that families can call home, to highways and public transit connecting our communities, to clean energy projects powering our economy,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
“But with one in three tradespeople retiring over the coming years, we must pass on the skills and expertise from the Golden Generation of Skilled Tradespeople to the next generation of workers. With a new, second round of our Skills Development Fund Capital Stream, we are going to kick Ontario’s training capacity into high-gear, training over one million workers for in-demand careers in every corner of Ontario.”
The SDF program is funded with a total investment of up to $1.4 billion, divided between two funding streams. The Training Stream provides funding for hiring, training, and upskilling programs for jobseekers, apprentices, and workers. The Capital Stream, which is entirely funded by the Ontario government, provides funding for construction, expansion, and renovation projects at training facilities across the province.
Since its launch in 2023, the SDF Capital Stream has supported renovation and construction projects that aim to train almost 250,000 workers in high-demand sectors. The SDF Training Stream has also been successful, with over 800 funding applications submitted for the fifth round of the program, which closed on Oct. 11.
The $5 million investment in the new crane training facility represents a significant portion of the SDF’s first round of funding. This investment will help to address the need for skilled workers in the construction sector, particularly in the Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie region, where over 21,000 jobs went unfilled in recent months.
The 21,000 sq. ft. complex on 20 acres will include a training facility, a fully equipped banquet hall and office space for union and OETIO staff.
The event was attended by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini, as well as local representatives from the Barrie and Simcoe County region and construction industry leaders.
“It’s a great day for the Operating Engineers in Ontario,” IUOE Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher said in a statement. The construction of the Oro-Medonte regional office and training centre will increase our versatility and ability to train for the future and meet Ontario’s growth needs, Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher said. “It will also ensure that the province doesn’t lag in terms of its infrastructure, including future hospitals, schools, and housing.
“We’re grateful to the province of Ontario for supporting this project and being partners in purchasing equipment to ensure that we have world-class training facilities right here in Ontario that continue to develop the best operators in any jurisdiction.”
