What this program offers

On this page

• Program objectives
• Funding priorities
• Glossary

Program objectives

This call for proposals will fund projects that:

• support the modernization of apprenticeship training by helping apprentices, unions, and training providers adapt to evolving construction methods, technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI) enabled tools that enhance productivity and meet the future needs of the construction sector
• attract and recruit more people to pursue a career in the Red Seal trades
• help improve access to apprenticeship opportunities by reducing barriers faced by pre-apprentices and apprentices in starting, continuing, or completing an apprenticeship in the Red Seal trades
• support apprentices in achieving certification and journeypersons in strengthening their expertise to train the next generation of tradespeople
• help pre-apprentices, apprentices, and journeypersons, including those from equity-deserving groups, in finding, keeping, and advancing in jobs

Funding priorities

We may give priority to projects that:

• use Canadian suppliers, materials, or content
• are led by a union representing Red Seal workers, an organization managing training trust funds for a union representing Red Seal workers, or projects that includes a union as a partner
• develop the skilled trades workforce, training innovations, and apprenticeship pathways to meet labour demands associated with major projects approved by the Canada Major Projects Office (MPO), which may involve other projects of national interest
• increase the availability, capacity, and diversity of Red Seal construction trades critical to Canada's growing (residential) housing needs
• deliver activities in two or more provinces or territories (excluding Quebec)

Glossary

Here is a list of key terms used within this application guide.

Apprentices

Individuals enrolled in a supervised work training program in a Red Seal trade. The training program combines on-the-job experience with formal technical instruction. Apprentices are registered with their provincial or territorial apprenticeship authority (usually a provincial or territorial ministry of education or labour, or a trade-specific industry governing body) to complete the training and become certified journeypersons.

Cash Contribution

Money given to the project by the applicant, partners, sponsors, or another level of government (provincial, territorial, or municipal). Applicants must record and report this money. They also can prove that the money was added to the project budget by providing proof such as bank statements. Applicants use the money to pay for approved project expenditures. For example:

• a project partner transfers $10,000 in cash to the recipient to the project. The recipient uses this money to purchase training equipment. The recipient provides a bank statement to show that the money was received
• the recipient uses $18,000 from their own money to pay for participant costs

Contracting Arrangement

A contracting arrangement occurs when a funding recipient hires an individual or organization to provide specific goods or services for the project in exchange for payment.

Contractors are vendors or service providers. They aren't partners, co-recipients, or decision-makers under the funding agreement. The funding recipient remains fully accountable to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for project delivery, results, compliance, and reporting.

Equity-deserving group

A person or a group of people who face barriers that limit their full and equal participation in society.

For this intake process, equity-deserving groups include:

• women
• newcomers
• persons with disabilities
• Indigenous peoples
• members of the 2SLGBTQI+ communities
• members of racialized communities
• youth

Fiscal year

The Canadian government's fiscal year starts on April 1 and ends on March 31 of the following year.

Indigenous Peoples

The distinct societies of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples in Canada.

In-kind contribution

Non-monetary donations of goods, services, or time provided to the project by the applicant, partners, sponsors or other level of government (provincial, territorial, or municipal governments). These donations are eligible and essential to complete project activities. They are included in the application form and project's budget at their fair market value. For example:

• donation of goods:
  • a project partner donates welding training equipment to the project
  • the funding recipient gives computers and office furniture for project staff
  • a sponsor gives tools to the project
  • a project partner offers classroom space to training project participants
  • a project partner pays for the purchase of training materials
• donation of services:
  • a project partner hires a trainer to deliver apprenticeship training to project participants. The project receives the benefit of the trainer's expertise and instructional services at no cost. The fair market value of the training services is treated as the in-kind donation.
• donation of time:
  • a project partner assigns an employee to work part-time or full-time to the project. Even though the partner continues to pay the employee's salary internally, the project receives the benefit of the employee's time and expertise at no cost. The labour is donated to the project, not the salary payment

Journeypersons

Skilled trades workers who have finished an approved apprenticeship program, demonstrated all required competencies in their trade, and passed the required certification exams. Journeypersons can also obtain a Red Seal endorsement where they are allowed to work independently in a Red Seal trade across Canada.

Limited access to infrastructure

A situation where the delivery of project activities is affected by insufficient physical, digital, or social systems that may limit employment and apprenticeship opportunities in the trades. For example:

• physical infrastructure: roads, transportation, electricity, water, and building needed to deliver services
• digital infrastructure: internet connectivity, telecommunications, and access to modern IT systems
• social infrastructure: schools, community centres, or other service-delivery institutions

Limited partnership opportunities

A situation in which an organization can't easily form partnerships with other organizations or benefit from them when delivering the program. This could happen because of:

• a limited number of employers and training institutions
• other agreement recipients are competing for the same available partners or
• the organization is in a remote and isolated region with limited presence of partners such as:
  • large or major industries
  • colleges or polytechnics
  • non-governmental organizations

Newcomers

Persons who self-identify as having arrived in Canada within the last 5 years and are legally entitled to work in Canada. It includes permanent residents, Canadian citizens or persons granted refugee status in Canada.

Organization managing "training trust funds" for a union or "training funds"

A non-profit organization established primarily for the benefit of organized labour unions. The organization is:

• established to provide occupational training to members of a local union
• jointly managed by unions and employers
• established by multi-employer collective agreements

Other skilled trades workers

Individuals who work in the trades but aren't registered as apprentices, or who have the skills but aren't certified. In some trades, they can work without being certified as a journeyperson because certification isn't required.

Partnership

A partnership is an arrangement between two or more organizations that work together to plan and deliver a funded project. Partners share responsibility for achieving the project's objectives. To be considered a project partner, an organization must make a meaningful contribution to the project. Examples of how a partner may contribute include:

• project design
• delivery
• participant recruitment
• training
• mentorship
• work placements
• facilities
• funding
• expertise
• governance

One organization acts as the lead recipient and signs the funding agreement with ESDC. All partners must be identified in the proposal, and their roles, activities, and contributions must be clearly described.

A partnership is different from a contracting or subcontracting arrangement. Contractors provide goods or services for a fee and aren't responsible for project outcomes.

Persons with disabilities

Persons with disabilities are participants who self-identify as having a disability in 1 of the following categories:

• seeing
• hearing
• mobility
• flexibility
• dexterity
• pain-related
• learning
• developmental
• mental health-related
• memory

The disability must result in a limitation in daily activities. The presence of a difficulty alone isn't sufficient; individuals whose disability rarely presents them with some level of difficulty in their daily activities are excluded.

Pre-apprentices

Individuals who are preparing to enter an apprenticeship program by gaining basic skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience in a trade before officially becoming an apprentice. These individuals aren't registered as apprentices or don't hold journeyperson certification but are permitted to work in the trade by the jurisdictional apprenticeship authority.

Projects of national interest

Project of national importance that are referred by the Government of Canada to the Major Projects Office for further assessment and consultation. The list of referred projects can be found on the Major Projects Office website.

Racialized individuals

A person or group that faces discrimination because of their racial or ethnic background.

Red Seal Trades

A skilled trade that is part of the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program. This program sets national standards for certain trades allowing certified workers to have their qualifications recognized across all provinces and territories. There are 54 Red Seal Trades.

Construction Red Seal Trades

• Boilermaker
• Bricklayer
• Cabinetmaker
• Carpenter
• Concrete Finisher
• Construction Craft Worker
• Construction Electrician
• Drywall Finisher and Plasterer
• Floorcovering Installer
• Gasfitter - Class A
• Gasfitter - Class B
• Glazier
• Heavy Equipment Operator (Dozer)
• Heavy Equipment Operator (Excavator)
• Heavy Equipment Operator (Tractor-Loader-Backhoe)
• Heavy Equipment Technician
• Industrial Electrician
• Instrumentation and Control Technician
• Insulator (Heat and Frost)
• Ironworker (Generalist)
• Ironworker (Reinforcing)
• Ironworker - (Structure/ and Ornamental)
• Lather (Interior Systems Mechanic)
• Metal Fabricator (Fitter)
• Mobile Crane Operator
• Oil Heat System Technician
• Painter and Decorator
• Plumber
• Powerline Technician
• Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic
• Roofer
• Sheet Metal Worker
• Sprinkler Fitter
• Steamfitter/Pipefitter
• Tilesetter
• Tower Crane Operator
• Welder

Manufacturing Red Seal Trades

• Cabinetmaker
• Industrial Electrician
• Industrial Mechanic (Millwright)
• Instrumentation and Control Technician
• Machinist
• Metal Fabricator (Fitter)
• Tool and Die Maker
• Welder

Service Red Seal Trades

• Appliance Service Technician
• Baker
• Cook
• Hairstylist
• Landscape Horticulturist
• Parts Technician

Transportation Red Seal Trades

• Agricultural Equipment Technician
• Auto Body and Collision Technician
• Automotive Refinishing Technician
• Automotive Service Technician
• Heavy Duty Equipment Technician
• Motorcycle Technician
• Recreation Vehicle Service Technician
• Truck and Transport Mechanic
• Transport Trailer Technician

Remote Location

Remote location refers to:

• all communities in Nunavut
• all communities in Labrador, or
  • a community located over 350 km from the closest urban core identified as a Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) or Census Agglomerations (CA)
  • Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) is a major urban core with a total of at least 100,000 people. It can include adjacent municipalities of major cities
  • Census Agglomeration (CA) is a small-to-medium sized urban area formed by one or more adjacent municipalities centered on a population core of at least 10,000

Note: You can find the list of Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) and Census Agglomeration (CA) by province below, by expanding each section.

Alberta

• CMA:
  • Lethbridge
  • Calgary
  • Red Deer
  • Edmonton
• CA:
  • Medicine Hat
  • Brooks
  • Okotoks
  • High River
  • Strathmore
  • Canmore
  • Sylvan Lake
  • Lacombe
  • Camrose
  • Lloydminster
  • Grande Prairie
  • Wood Buffalo
  • Wetaskiwin

British Columbia

• CMA:
  • Kelowna
  • Kamloops
  • Chilliwack
  • Abbotsford
  • Vancouver
  • Victoria
  • Nanaimo
• CA:
  • Cranbrook
  • Nelson
  • Trail
  • Penticton
  • Vernon
  • Salmon Arm
  • Squamish
  • Ladysmith
  • Duncan
  • Parksville
  • Port Alberni
  • Courtenay
  • Campbell River
  • Powell River
  • Williams Lake
  • Quesnel
  • Prince Rupert
  • Terrace
  • Prince George
  • Dawson Creek
  • Fort St.John

Manitoba

• CMA:
  • Winnipeg
• CA:
  • Winkler
  • Steinbach
  • Portage la Prairie
  • Brandon
  • Thompson

New Brunswick

• CMA:
  • Moncton
  • Saint John
  • Fredericton
• CA:
  • Bathurst
  • Miramichi
  • Campbellton
  • Edmundston

Newfoundland and Labrador

• CMA:
  • St. John's
• CA:
  • Grand Falls-Windsor
  • Gander
  • Corner Brook

Northwest Territories

• CA:
  • Yellowknife

Nova Scotia

• CMA:
  • Halifax
• CA:
  • Kentville
  • Truro
  • New Glasgow
  • Cape Breton

Ontario

• CMA:
  • Ottawa-Gatineau
  • Kingston
  • Belleville - Quinte West
  • Peterborough
  • Oshawa
  • Toronto
  • Hamilton
  • St. Catharines - Niagara
  • Kitchener - Cambridge - Waterloo
  • Brantford
  • Guelph
  • London
  • Windsor
  • Barrie
  • Greater Sudbury / Grand Sudbury
  • Thunder Bay
• CA:
  • Cornwall
  • Hawkesbury
  • Brockville
  • Pembroke
  • Petawawa
  • Cobourg
  • Port Hope
  • Kawartha Lakes
  • Centre Wellington
  • Ingersoll
  • Woodstock
  • Tillsonburg
  • Norfolk
  • Stratford
  • Chatham - Kent
  • Sarnia
  • Essa
  • Wasaga Beach
  • Owen Sound
  • Collingwood
  • Orillia
  • Midland
  • North Bay
  • Elliot Lake
  • Timmins
  • Sault Ste. Marie
  • Kenora

Prince Edward Island

• CA:
  • Charlottetown
  • Summerside
  • Saskatchewan
• CMA:
  • Regina

Saskatoon

• CA:
  • Yorkton
  • Moose Jaw
  • Swift Current
  • North Battleford
  • Prince Albert
  • Estevan
  • Weybum
  • Lloydminister

Yukon

• CA:
  • Whitehorse

Stakeholder

Individuals or organizations that have an interest in the project or may be affected by its outcomes but aren't directly involved in delivering project activities.

Sub-contracting Arrangement

A sub‑contracting arrangement occurs when a contribution recipient enter into a signed agreement with a third-party to deliver to all or part of the project activities that make up the contribution agreement. The third-party become a subcontractor. Subcontractors are paid to perform specific project activities. They aren't partners, co-recipients, or decision-makers under the funding agreement. The funding recipient remains fully responsible for project delivery, results, compliance, and reporting to ESDC.

Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Plus (2SLGBTQI+)

Persons who self-identify as a member of the 2SLGBTQI+ community. The acronym 2SLGBTQI+ includes two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or another minority sexual identity such as asexual or pansexual, as well as minority gender identity (transgender and non-binary identities like genderqueer, gender fluid, pangender or agender).

Union

An organization of employees that regulates relations between employers and employees. Unions are governed by constitutions and bylaws, and must be registered with federal, provincial, or territorial government labour boards.

Women

Persons who self-identify their gender as woman. Gender refers to an individual's personal and social identity as a man, woman or non-binary person (a person whose identity isn't exclusively a man or a woman).

Youth

Persons aged 15 to 30 years old.