The Ontario government announced an investment of $511,100 on November 9 into a program that supports veterans as they transition to post-service lives.

The Pathways to Post-Military Employment program will help veterans draw upon their unique skills and experience to obtain meaningful work the construction industry. The investment will support the further career objectives of 180 military veterans. It will also help provide homeless veterans with housing, aftercare support, food, clothing, medical care, addiction support, mental health services and crisis intervention in Toronto.

"During Remembrance Week, we pause to salute the men and women in uniform who left their families to defend our country and protect the values we hold dear," said Premier Doug Ford, who made the announcement at the Interior Finishing Systems Training Centre in Woodbridge. "Today, many veterans are struggling as they leave active service and transition back into civilian life. Now is the time to help them train for new well-paying and rewarding second careers and give them a chance to contribute to Ontario's economic recovery."

Pathways to Post-Military Employment will offer job matching with employers in the construction sector, provide formal skills evaluations and support on-the-job training. This program will provide opportunities for veterans and reservists in several fields, including skilled trades, management, administration, planning, scheduling, logistics, security, engineering, and accounting.

"For the many sacrifices men and women in the military make to keep Canadians safe, we owe a debt of gratitude," said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. "This program, which pairs former military personnel looking for work with jobs in a sector seeking new talent, is not only great news for our veterans, it's great news for their families and our recovering economy. Today's investment is another step in Ontario's plan to expand pathways for job seekers to enter these in-demand, hands-on careers."

The government's 2020 Budget includes the province's Skilled Trades Strategy and an additional investment of $180.5 million in employment services and training programs to connect workers in the industries most affected with industries facing a skills shortage. The strategy will aims to break the stigma around the skilled trades, simplify the skilled trades and apprenticeship system, and encourage more employer participation in skills training.

"Now is the time to invest in retraining our workers, so they are ready to contribute to the recovery of our province," said Finance Minister Rod Phillips. "Taken together, these initiatives will help job seekers, particularly those hardest hit by COVID-19, get the skills they need. This training supports workers and employers alike. It also addresses long-standing gaps in skills training which, unaddressed, would be a barrier to a strong economic recovery."

The Pathways to Post-Military Employment program is being delivered by Helmets to Hardhat in partnership with Canada’s Building Trades Unions, the Council of Ontario Construction Associations, the Electrical Power Systems Construction Association, the Construction Labour Relations Association of Ontario, Veterans Emergency Transition Services Canada, the Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Command, and Good Shepherd Ministries.

Since launching in 2012, Helmets to Hardhats has placed 1,040 veterans into highly skilled, well-paying construction industry opportunities as they start their second career. Forty percent of those placements were in Ontario.

"Veterans returning to civilian life have skills that local employers need,” said Joseph Maloney, executive director of Helmets to Hardhats. “This project will help them build upon the many existing talents they gained through time in the armed forces to unlock good jobs in the skilled trades."

In a separate announcement, the Ontario Construction Secretariat donated $100,000 in support of Helmets to Hardhats.

“Veterans, reservists and senior cadets are an invaluable asset to the skilled trades and we are delighted to be able to donate $100,000 on behalf of building trade construction unions and their contractor partners working in the industrial, commercial, and institutional sector,” said Joe Keyes, president of the OCS board of directors. “The Helmets to Hardhats organization is providing opportunities to military men and women who served Canada with distinction as they transition to civilian life.”

There are an estimated 639,900 veterans in Canada, including 232,200 in Ontario. Every year, more than 5,000 soldiers leave the service; many face challenges with transitions to post-service civilian careers.