The Ontario government says it plans to launch the second round of its Skills Development Fund (SDF) Capital Stream later this month.

This latest round of funding will make more than $74 million in available funding to build, expand and retrofit training facilities for workers in the trades, including construction, manufacturing technology and health care.

The province also announced on November 12 that it will invest nearly $5 million from the first round of the SDF Capital Stream with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) to build a new crane training facility for over 1,600 workers in Barrie.

“With more than $74 million committed to training and workers across the province, this new round of funding through our Skills Development Fund Capital Stream will help thousands of additional Ontario workers find better jobs and bigger paycheques,” said Premier Doug Ford. “It’s especially great to be here in Oro-Medonte to announce nearly $5 million in support from the first round of funding and see first-hand how it’s making a difference in the lives of Ontario workers.”

The second round of SDF Capital Stream funding will offer a streamlined application process that includes a new SEED pathway to help with the upfront costs of developing construction proposals, such as design drawings and technical plans. The province says the approach addresses the needs of businesses and training providers who may lack the in-house capacity to develop complex construction plans. The stream will now also accept funding proposals all year round, which enables faster application reviews.

The announcement was made in Oro-Medonte, where the government is investing nearly $5 million in the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) to build a new crane training facility, led by the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario (OETIO).

The SDF Capital Stream investment from round one will help build a new crane training facility focused on training apprentices in mobile and tower crane operation, as well as heavy equipment.

The training centre will include simulation labs, workshops and an outdoor training area for tower cranes, in addition to classrooms, offices and a cafeteria.

"This new, $25-million training facility represents an investment not just in the future of IUOE Local 793, but also in the province of Ontario,” said business manager Mike Gallagher. “As a union that represents more than 20,000 operating engineers and has invested more than $275 million in training since the 1990s, it is a pleasure to work with a government that has ambitious plans to rebuild Ontario and understands the need to develop a skilled workforce that can turn those plans into reality.”

Since its launch in 2023, Ontario’s SDF Capital Stream has been supporting renovation and construction projects that aim to help almost 250,000 workers train for in-demand sectors.