Out of the $228 million announced yesterday, Canada’s steel sector will receive $70 million for retraining workers who are off the job due to Donald Trump’s 50-per-cent tariffs.
“Our government will ensure Ontario’s allocation of this funding will support steel workers by providing access to retraining and reskilling needed to attain employment in the face of tariffs,” said Spenser Maki, communications advisor for David Piccini, Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, by phone.
“As much as is needed from that $70 million will go to where it’s needed for steel workers,” he said.
Maki said this support will “target any or all workers who have been impacted by tariffs . . . to retrain or reskill people who have lost their jobs or have reduced hours due to tariffs and get them in new industries or new jobs.”
Funding will roll out over three years through the ministry’s employment services programs.
Skills Advance Ontario is one way this retraining will happen, Maki said, along with Better Jobs Ontario and Integrated Employment Services.
Softwood lumber, manufacturing, and automotive are some other industries that will benefit from the $228 million in funding for retraining, announced yesterday by the province and federal governments.
The goal is to help 27,000 Ontario workers over the next three years.