Government of Canada announces new $2-billion funding for provinces and territories under Team Canada Strong

HALIFAX, NS, July 16, 2026 /CNW/ -- The global landscape continues to evolve, creating uncertainty and new challenges for workers and communities across Canada. In response to these changing conditions, the Government of Canada is focused on strengthening Canada's economic resilience and supporting long-term growth.

This calls for decisive action from all orders of government to protect jobs, strengthen local economies and ensure workers can adapt to changing economic realities.

Team Canada Strong is a national initiative to recruit, train and hire 80,000 to 100,000 new Red Seal trades workers in the next five years to help build the homes, infrastructure and defence capabilities Canada needs. While the $6 billion already announced under Team Canada Strong will help support more Canadians to enter the skilled trades, the Government of Canada is seeking to work with provinces and territories to increase capacity to train and certify those workers.

Understanding the needs, challenges and opportunities facing each jurisdiction is foundational to making progress on this work. That is why the Forum of Labour Market Ministers gathered today to continue discussions on the future of Canada's workforce, building on the investments made through Team Canada Strong to deliver results for workers and employers.

As part of this effort, the Government of Canada is investing an additional $2 billion over five years through new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories. Canada will soon begin discussions with provinces and territories, with agreements and funding expected to be in place in 2026–27, subject to negotiations.

This additional funding will help provinces and territories expand training capacity and create more pathways into Red Seal trades. It will increase access to pre-apprenticeship and technical training, address systemic barriers that slow training and certification, help eliminate waitlists for apprenticeship and Red Seal training programs, improve access to training aligned with in-demand trades, and support higher completion rates.

This dual-delivery approach, combining provincial and territorial programming with complementary federal measures, will ensure greater national consistency where needed, faster implementation in priority areas, and improved responsiveness to gaps that cannot be addressed through provincial and territorial systems alone.

The Government of Canada will continue to work with provinces and territories to strengthen workforce and training systems through Team Canada Strong and support the skilled trades workforce Canada needs to build a stronger economy.

Quotes 

"As the world of work evolves, nobody will be left behind. By collaborating with provinces and territories to remove barriers to skilled trades, we are equipping workers with the tools needed to succeed. Access to rewarding, well-paying jobs will build a strong, confident workforce where workers can navigate global uncertainty and build lasting economic strength." 

– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

Quick facts

• Team Canada Strong is the Government of Canada's plan to strengthen Canada's skilled trades workforce and build the workforce needed to deliver key housing, infrastructure and defence projects. It will provide young Canadians with paid, entry-level, trades-related work experiences that lead to an apprenticeship, and address barriers to help apprentices stay in their program, focus on learning and successfully complete their training.
• In addition to Team Canada Strong funding, the Government of Canada provides nearly $1 billion annually in apprenticeship support toward making trades training more accessible through loans, project funding, tax credits and deductions, and Employment Insurance benefits.
• By 2033, Canada will need more than 1.4 million new trades workers to build homes, expand transit and develop energy infrastructure across the country.
• Canada.ca/skilled-trades provides Canadians with information about the skilled trades, including how to become a tradesperson and what financial supports are available to them while in training.

Associated links

Prime Minister Carney announces Team Canada Strong – a nationwide plan to recruit up to 100,000 skilled trades workers | Prime Minister of Canada
Budget 2025
Spring Economic Update 2026
Canada.ca/skilled-trades

Follow us on X

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

Contacts: For media enquiries, please contact: Jennifer Kozelj, Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]