Ontario Building Training Centre for Sheet Metal Workers in Ottawa

Press Release

September 20, 2024

OTTAWA — The Ontario government is investing over $4 million through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) to upgrade a SMART Local 47 training centre for sheet metal workers and expand their training curriculum to include French-language materials, enabling them to train more than 500 additional workers over the next five years. With this expanded curriculum, the Gloucester training centre becomes the first in Ontario to offer training in French to sheet metal workers.

“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, and advanced manufacturing driving our economy,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “But with one in three tradespeople nearing retirement, we must transfer the skills and expertise from the Golden Generation of Skilled Tradespeople to the next generation of students. That’s why we’re partnering with SMART 47 to expand and enhance their training facility here in Ottawa to train the next generation of workers who will leverage the wisdom of experienced tradespeople to build Ontario’s bright future. This includes providing Ontario’s first French-language training program for sheet metal working to enable more Francophone Ontarians to receive training in their native tongue – because a career in the skilled trades is for everyone.”

Funding will enhance the training capacity, infrastructure, and learning environment to address the shortage of qualified tradespeople in the region. These projects are:

SMART Local 47: Training Centre Expansion: $4,001,416 through the SDF Capital Stream to build an expansion to the existing training centre to train 528 people over five years. This training centre expansion will allow for curriculum growth and will foster additional collaboration opportunities within the industry, including internships, apprenticeships, and job placements.
SMART Local 47 Training programs: $54,000 though the SDF Training Stream to translate and implement a French-language curriculum for apprenticeship and safety training programs. This aims to make the training program more attractive for Francophone apprentices, which may lead to higher completion rates.

The province is committed to cultivating a diverse workforce and expanding training opportunities. To this end, Ontario is investing in the development of a French language curriculum which will increase training capacity and make it easier for Francophone workers to access essential skills development. This initiative will help ensure no one is left behind in Ontario’s effort to build a stronger, more skilled workforce.

Over the next decade, Ontario will need more than 500,000 additional workers in skilled trades-related occupations. To address this demand, the government is investing in the province’s training infrastructure through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Capital Stream. This funding will support facility expansions, renovations, repairs and retrofits, and new building construction across key industries. These enhanced training centres are expected to help thousands of additional workers get the training they need to land better jobs and ensure employers have the skilled workforce they need today and tomorrow.

Applications are open for the government’s fifth round of the SDF Training Stream with up to $260 million in available funding, the largest funding round announced since the fund launched in 2021. With the fifth round of SDF Training Stream and the Capital Stream, this brings the Ontario government’s investment up to $1.4 billion to grow Ontario’s workforce for in-demand careers, including in the skilled trades.

Quick Facts

SDF comprises two streams: the Training Stream, which supports hiring, training, and upskilling programs for jobseekers, apprentices, and workers; and the Capital Stream, which supports upgrades or construction of training centres for the skilled trades.
Ontario’s $224 million SDF Capital Stream was launched by Premier Ford in June 2023.
SDF Training Stream Round 5 applications opened July 29, 2024, and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until October 4, 2024. Organizations including non-profits, Indigenous Skills and Employment Training agreement holders, unions, industry and employer associations, municipalities and other organizations are eligible to submit project proposals and apply for funding. Interested organizations can apply through Transfer Payment Ontario and send inquiries to skillsdevelopmentfund@ontario.ca.
Since its launch in 2021, Ontario’s SDF Training Stream has supported projects that help almost 600,000 workers train for in-demand sectors, including:
- Over 66,000 construction workers
- Over 92,000 manufacturing workers
- Over 36,000 PSWs and health-care workers
- And over 27,000 mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction workers.
People interested in participating in the programs announced today are encouraged to contact the lead organizations of the projects directly.
The Capital Stream of the Skills Development Fund is exclusively funded by the Government of Ontario.
The Training Stream of the Skills Development Fund is supported through labour market transfer agreements between the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.
As the Government of Canada unilaterally cut over $230 million annually from Ontario’s Labour Market Transfer Agreements, which support employment and settlement service programs, Ontario continues to call for the federal government to reinstate this critical funding for Ontario workers and jobseekers.

Quotes

“Thank you Premier Ford and Minister Piccini for the government’s Skills Development Fund investment of more than $4 million. This will enable SMART Local 47 to build a new expansion for our training facility, so that we can train more than 500 additional sheet metal workers and roofers and meet growing employer demand. This investment will also help us deliver Ontario’s first French-language roofing and sheet metal working program, so we can bring more Francophone men and women into the skilled trades. Through our continued collaboration with the provincial government, we are growing our workforce and delivering innovative training for the next generation of workers.”

– Stuart Simpson
Training Director, SMART Local 47

“Ontario’s Francophone community is an economic engine that helps make our province the best place to work, live and raise a family. Because of this historic investment through the Skills Development Fund, more sheet metal workers will be trained in French, strengthening the bilingual workforce across Ontario.”

– Caroline Mulroney
Minister of Francophone Affairs

“The expansion of SMART 47’s training centre and the introduction of Ontario’s first French sheet metal working curriculum come at a crucial time for our city. This investment will help train our next generation to carry on critical work in an industry that has seen a big increase in retirements. Providing training opportunities in French ensures that our French-speaking residents will get the skills needed to succeed in high-demand fields. Skilled trades are vital to our city’s growth, and this investment by the Provincial government strengthens Ottawa’s future by setting up a skilled workforce ready to help build Ottawa.”

– Mark Sutcliffe
Mayor of Ottawa

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