The Government of Canada’s Apprenticeship Service is providing $21 million in funding to support new apprenticeships at small and mid-sized employers in BC’s construction industry.
Over the next two years, grants will be distributed by the BC Construction Association directly to businesses with less than 500 employees that are hiring new employees or registering current ones as first-year apprentices in 39 eligible Red Seal trades.
GRANT AMOUNTS
- Eligible applicants will receive $5,000 for hiring or registering any worker.
- An additional $5,000 is available if the worker self-reports as a woman, new Canadian, LGBTQ+, Indigenous, a person with a disability, or a visible minority. This incentive is designed to promote diversity amid ongoing labour shortages in an industry where men make up 95% of the workforce.
Grants will be paid to each employer for up to two first-year apprenticeships a year, for a maximum of $40,000 per employer. These amounts can be spent at the discretion of the employer on what they see fit i.e. signing bonuses, gear and equipment, training, offsetting business taxes, etc.
The program is expected to launch sometime this fall. To learn more, visit bccassn.com/apprenticeship-services.