Canada Retraining and Opportunities Initiative – funding program
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The Canada Retraining and Opportunities Initiative supports workforce planning and skills training in communities significantly impacted by a mass layoff. It provides funding for community-based projects that help workers develop the skills they need to transition to new jobs.
Comments on Funding:
March 31, 2025
Eligibility:
Applicants must be:
1. not-for-profit organizations;
2. for-profit organizations if the nature and intent of the activity is:
a. non-commercial
b. not intended to generate profit, and
c. supports program priorities and objectives;
3. municipal governments;
4. Indigenous organizations or governments (Indigenous organizations may include, but are not limited to, incorporated for profit and not-for-profit Indigenous controlled organizations, Indigenous controlled unincorporated associations, Band Councils, Tribal Councils, and Indigenous self-government entities);
5. educational institutions (universities, colleges, CÉGEPs, school boards/school districts).
Application Steps:
Applicants must
1. Email EDSC.DGOP.ICPPPE-CROI.POB.ESDC@servicecanada.gc.ca.
2. Email must include:
a. date of mass layoff(s).
b. location(s) of layoff by postal code.
c. number of individuals laid off. If your request is for multiple locations, please indicate the number at each location by postal code.
the three-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code or sub-industry for the business or employer where the layoff occurred. Please refer to Statistics Canada for guidance.
Please note that we can’t accept links to cloud or SharePoint versions and password protected applications.
3. The department will confirm your eligibility to submit a project application within 3-4 business days.
4. Eligible organizations will be invited to apply for funding. Only organizations that meet all the criteria in the Eligibility section will be invited to apply.
5. Organizations invited to apply must submit a complete application within 20 business days to be considered for this funding opportunity.
6. The department will assess other criteria at the application phase. An invitation to apply does not guarantee success.
Documentation Needed:
No specific documentation has been specified
Other Things to Note:
To help determine whether you might be eligible for funding, answer the following questions:
Did the mass layoff happen on or after April 1, 2024?
Were 50 or more people laid off in one establishment within a four-week period?
Was the layoff permanent (as per the definition above)?
Was the layoff significant for the local economy?
If you answered yes to the above questions, you might be eligible for funding under the Canada Retraining and Opportunities Initiative.
About the author
Maurice
