Union Training and Innovation Program – Innovation

The Union Training and Innovation Program – Innovation stream aims to increase the number of skilled trades workers by helping address apprenticeship challenges in the Red Seal trades. This funding opportunity supports projects that help more people access and succeed in apprenticeships. This stream focuses on proven approaches that reach more tradespeople. It also supports people from a wide range of backgrounds, promotes careers in the skilled trades, and improves the quality of training in Red Seal trades.

The goal is to strengthen the skilled trades by helping unions and their partners attract and recruit new pre‑apprentices, support apprentices as they work towards certification, and help experienced journeypersons build their skills to train the next generation of tradespeople.

By reducing barriers, investing in equipment and improving how training programs work, funded projects will help build a strong and reliable skilled trades workforce.

Application period:

October 15, 2026, to December 17, 2026, by 3:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Funding amount:

Up to $5,000,000 per fiscal year per project, for a maximum of $25,000,000

Project duration:

Up to 60 months

Who can apply:

Organizations that are located and operate in Canada (excluding Quebec)

• Unions representing workers in Red Seal trades
• Organizations managing training funds for Red Seal trades workers, for example:
  • a joint training fund set up by a union
  • a union and an employer association
• Not-for-profit organizations
• For-profit organizations (provided that the nature and intent of the activity is non-commercial, not intended to generate profit, and supports program priorities and objectives)
• Provincial, Territorial, and Municipal governments, agencies, institutions, and Crown Corporations
• Indigenous organizations