Prepare to apply

What is your organization's legal name? The legal name is usually:

• the name on your registration with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or provincial/territorial equivalent, or
• the name used on funding cheques, bank accounts, etc.

What is the operating (or common) name of your organization (if it differs from the legal name)?

What is your 15-digit CRA business number? (For example, 123456789 RR 0001).

You can find your CRA business number on tax-related documents or written communications from the CRA.

For more information, please visit CRA.

Indicate "union" or an "organization managing trust funds for unions representing Red Seal trades workers".

Note: You may be asked to provide documentation confirming that you are a union or an organization managing training trust funds for a union.

Indicate "union" or an "organization managing trust funds for unions representing Red Seal trades workers".

What year was your organization established?

What is your organization's address? Give a complete address in a format recognized by Canada Post. For more information, please visit Canada Post website.

• Question 7: Organization address
• Question 8: City or town
• Question 9: Province or territory
• Question 10: Country
• Question 11: Postal code

What is your organization's telephone number, fax number and email address?

• Question 12: Telephone number
• Question 13: Fax Number
• Question 14: E-mail address

What is the mailing address of your organization (if it differs from your organization's physical address)?

• Question 15: Mailing address
• Question 16: City or town
• Question 17: Province or territory
• Question 18: Country
• Question 19: Postal code

What is your organization's telephone number?

Not applicable

Who is the main contact person for the proposed project? Provide the contact information for the person who will be ESDC's primary contact person in respect to your application for funding. Include the following details:

• Question 22: Given (first) name and surname (last name)
• Question 23: What is the title of the contact person named in question 22? For example:
  • Business Owner
  • President
  • Executive Director
• Question 24: What official language would your contact person prefer to use in written and spoken communications? Choose either English or French.
• Question 25: Telephone number* ext. (mandatory field if different from Organization number)
• Question 26: Fax number
• Question 27: Email address

If we cannot reach the main contact, who else can we contact? Provide the person's full name, telephone number where we can reach them during business hours and their email address.

• Question 28: Given (first) name and surname (last name)
• Question 29: What is the title of the contact person named in question 33? For example:
  • Business Owner
  • President
  • Executive Director
• Question 30: What official language would your contact person prefer to use in written and spoken communications? Choose either English or French
• Question 31: Telephone number* extension (mandatory field if different from Organization number)
• Question 32: Fax number
• Question 33: Email address

Give a short title that describes your project.

State the planned start and end dates of your project. Projects can begin as early as April 1, 2027, and can be up to 60 months in duration. We understand that at this stage dates may be approximate. Should your EOI be selected for funding, dates can be adjusted and confirmed during project negotiations.

We will notify you in writing (by email) of the outcome of the review of your application. You cannot begin any of the proposed activities or incur any expenses until the approval of your project. As well, both you and the Department must sign a Funding Agreement. Do not assume any commitment until the signing of the Funding Agreement. If you purchase anything for the project after the approval but before the signing of the Agreement, you do so at your own risk.

Describe the objective(s) of your project and explain how they support the objectives of the program.

• Explain how your project will increase the capacity of a union training centre through the:
  • renovation of an existing space
  • expansion of an existing facility
  • construction of a new training facility
  The department plans to fund a range of projects, from upgrades to construction projects. Examples include:
  • Renovations:
    • converting office space into classrooms or training labs
    • reconfiguring interior walls to create additional training rooms
  • Expansions:
    • constructing an addition to a building to increase training capacity to add new classrooms or training labs
    • building a new wing with additional workshops for apprenticeship training
    • expanding a workshop building to add new training stations
  • New constructions:
    • constructing a new union-run training centre to provide apprenticeship technical training
    • building a new training centre in a region with limited training capacity to serve more apprentices
    • constructing a new training facility to provide apprenticeship training in a skilled trade that the union does not currently offer
• Explain why the project is needed and issues it will address. This may include:
  • current or future demand for workers in the Red Seal trade(s) being targeted
  • limitations in existing training capacity
  • complementarity with other training institutions
  • lack of access to apprenticeship technical training
  • facility or space constraints
  • apprentices travelling long distances to attend training, or
  • other factors demonstrating a need for additional training capacity
  Provide supporting evidence, such as:
  • labour market information, including on specific training and demand gaps in the Red Seal trades being targeted
  • waitlists
  • employer feedback, or
  • other relevant data where available
• Explain how your project will help strengthen the skilled trades workforce
• Describe the type of training space you will be renovating, expanding or newly building through the project. This could include:
  • classrooms
  • training bays
  • simulation environments
  • other trade-specific training spaces
• Identify which of the 54 eligible Red Seal trades you are targeting. You may target more than one trade
• Describe how your project will improve access and participation of equity-deserving groups. Examples of facility accessibility features can include:
  • installing ramps, elevators, lifts, or automatic doors
  • creating barrier-free washrooms and change rooms
  • ensuring classrooms and workshops can accommodate persons with disabilities

If applicable, describe how your project aligns with one or more the following funding priorities:

• use Canadian suppliers, materials, or content
• seek to increase apprenticeship technical training seats
• support regional representation (excluding Quebec)
• increase training capacity for Red Seal trades that support the Government of Canada priorities including, but not limited to the Defence Industrial Strategy, the Housing Strategy, the Canada Electrification Strategy and Major Projects
• increase training opportunities to improve capacity to support Indigenous housing development
• have completed most project planning, with key project requirements in place, such as design, permits, approvals, and financing, and be ready to start construction within 6 months of the project start date

1. Activities

Describe the proposed project activities by:

• describing the major phases of the project, such as:
  • planning
  • design
  • renovation
  • construction
  • project completion
• providing the location of the project, where possible, including:
  • the address of existing buildings, and
  • the city or town for new constructions
• indicating timelines for each activity
• linking activities with your project objectives
• providing estimated costs for each phase of the project, where possible

Eligible activities

• Renovate - improve the functionality of a facility to increase its usefulness with respect to training output
• Expand - increase capacity of a facility to train more individuals through existing programs and/or deliver additional training
• Build - constructing new training facilities to increase the availability of quality apprenticeship training
• Activities relating to the planning phase of construction

Your project may include multiple eligible activities. For example, you may undertake both a renovation and an expansion as part of the same project. You must clearly outline the expected timelines of the different elements.

2. Results

Describe the expected results of your project.

If your project is expected to create additional apprenticeship technical training seats, provide:

• the total number of seats expected to be created
• the number of seats expected to be created for each trade and province or territory, if the project supports multiple trades and/or training locations in more than one province or territory

If your project is not expected to create additional apprenticeship technical training seats, explain how the project will contribute to growing the skilled trades workforce in Canada.

Include 'Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)' as a source, and indicate how much funding you are requesting for your project from the department.

You may apply for a contribution from ESDC of up to:

• $3,000,000 for renovations projects
• $10,000,000 for expansion or new construction projects

Tell us the names of all the organizations that will contribute a cash contribution to this project, including your organization.

You must also include the total project cost in this section.

Eligible costs

• Costs for the construction, expansion or the renovation of a building and relevant exterior infrastructure (for example, parking lot), including materials, supplies and labour
• Costs for the purchase or rental of tools, equipment or machinery necessary to complete the project
• Costs of inspections, development charges, demolition of building section and construction permitting fees (for example, site plan approval, building permits, foundation permits)
• LEED Certification or similar designations designed to reduce environment footprint and enhance energy conservation
• Professional fees such as:
  • architects
  • engineers
  • interior designers
  • construction consultants
  • contractors
  • research
  • evaluations
  • audits
• Printing and communication costs (limited, and requiring a rationale as to how it is essential to the project)
• Administrative costs of up to 15% of the direct project costs
• Wages and mandatory employment-related costs for project staff

Ineligible costs

• Purchase or lease of real property, such as buildings or land
• Costs associated with core or on-going business activities of your organization
• Costs paid to employers such as, but not limited to, compensation to allow employees to participate in project
• Consultation fees for individuals who are also receiving a salary from the organization or its partners
• Costs incurred to prepare the project proposal
• Entertainment costs
• Expenditures outside the start and end dates of a signed agreement with ESDC
• Fines or penalties
• Hospitality and travel costs
• Demolition of a full building
• Infrastructure development beyond property lines (for example, roads, sewer, storm systems, powerlines)
• Purchase of training equipment and materials, including for mobile training units

• Costs for the purchase or lease of vehicles

Tell us what type of organization is providing the cash contribution from the following options:

• not-for-profit organizations
• municipal governments
• provincial and territorial governments, institutions, and Crown Corporations
• Indigenous organizations including:
  • band councils
  • tribal councils
  • self-government entities
• international organizations
• coalitions, networks or committees
• research organizations or institutes
• educational institutions
• for-profit organizations

You must have a cash contribution equal to or more than 50% of the total cost of the project. Tell us how much cash contributions you will receive.

We'll accept a 30% cash contribution if your organization is in a remote location, or if you can clearly demonstrate that your organization faces other barriers such as challenges in accessing construction materials and/or labour needed to deliver the project.

In-kind contributions are not eligible under the funding opportunity.