The Ontario Government announced an investment of $1.9 million in training programs for more than 2,000 Northern Ontario workers on September 25.

The announcement will see funding shared among six programs run by local organizations. The initiatives will target students, underemployed adults and Indigenous community members with the goal of addressing unemployment in the region as a result of the COVID pandemic.

Labour, Training and Skills Development Minister Monte McNaughton announced the funding at Science North, which will receive $428,870 to provide tech-sector training for up to 905 students, teachers-in-training and underemployed adults.

"This funding will benefit Northern people from all walks of life, and help them find the kind of job they need to support themselves, their families and their communities," said McNaughton. "Soft skills like financial literacy, digital skills and coding, and the skilled trades are all pathways to new, exciting opportunities, new careers, and a bright future for residents of Northern Ontario." 

The investment includes:

• $500,000 for the Shwe Miikaan and Confederation College Construction Trades Training Project to prepare up to 32 Indigenous community members for careers in local construction infrastructure, specifically to work on the twinning of highway 69/400 between Parry Sound and Sudbury,
• $487,000 for Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology to train up to 75 public administration employees in northern municipalities around Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie,
• $250,000 for the Wikwemikong Development Commission to prepare up to 17 Indigenous community members on Manitoulin Island for employment as personal support workers through training based on Indigenous culture and practices,
• $217,200 for Kenjgewin Teg Educational Institute to train up to 15 Indigenous community members on Manitoulin Island as personal support workers, including modules designed to understand Indigenous Peoples' history, ways of being and cultural sensitivity, and
• $96,220 for Near North District School Board to train up to 1,000 students in financial literacy and job-specific computer skills.

"I am proud to see our government's continued investment in Indigenous skills and training programs across the province," said Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines; Minister of Indigenous Affairs. "By investing in Indigenous-owned and controlled post-secondary institutions, our government is helping to build a robust network of training and skill opportunities that addresses the skills gap in Northern Ontario and prepares young people for meaningful and successful careers."

The announcement is part of a $37-million investment by the Ontario government to help 15,000 people upgrade their skills and train for new jobs.