Ontario Helping Veterans Start New Careers in the Skilled Trades
$3 million investment through Helmets to Hardhats Canada will support 650 active and former Canadian Armed Forces personnel
The Ontario government is investing $3 million over three years in Helmets to Hardhats Canada to help 650 active and former Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members transition to civilian life by training them for careers in Ontario’s construction sector. This investment will help fill a gap in Ontario’s employment and training resources, while addressing the unique needs and experiences of our military heroes.
“We owe our veterans, who have put their lives on the line in defence of our freedom, safety and values, a debt that we can never fully repay,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Today’s announcement is just one way our government is working to give back, so veterans can transition from the armed forces to rewarding careers in the skilled trades with the support and training they need. This week, we also introduced the Honouring Veterans Act, 2024, to ensure we always remember the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform.”
With this investment, Helmets to Hardhats Canada will be able to expand job-ready skills training to more veterans and accelerate their pathways from active military service to apprenticeships in construction by two to three months. Helmets to Hardhats Canada will also be able to deliver access to critical safety training and specialized certifications for in-demand careers and expand their outreach programs for racialized and Indigenous Veterans and those with disabilities.
“We have a social contract with our military servicemen and women who protect our country and preserve our freedoms, which means we have a responsibility to ensure they have a civilian life to transition to when their service is complete,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “With around 8,000 Canadian Armed Forces members released from service every year, our government is proud to work with Helmets to Hardhats and unions to deliver job-ready training to veterans that leverages their expertise and experience, and lands them in a new career. Because a career in construction is more than a paycheque – it offers a stable future and a community of workers who have your back.”
The government also supports Helmets to Hardhats Canada through Ontario’s Skills Development Fund Training Stream, investing over $915,000 to open new pathways to 105 participants into Ontario’s unionized construction sector and develop customized training for senior cadets. This brings Ontario’s total investment in Helmets to Hardhats Canada to over $4.7 million.
The province is honouring veterans by working to expand provincial recognition, increase financial and community supports, and open more career pathways for veterans and military families, as part of the government’s proposed Honouring Veterans Act, 2024.
Quick Facts
- Helmets to Hardhats Canada (legal name 8024499 Canada Association) is a registered non-profit organization that provides second career opportunities in the construction industry to those in the military community through tailored referral services, safety training and peer counselling for serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans and military families. Helmets to Hardhats Canada has referred over 2,600 clients, including over 1,500 in Ontario alone, to unionized careers in construction. People interested in participating in their training programs are encouraged to contact Helmets to Hardhats Canada directly.
- These investments also build on Ontario’s investment of $4.3 million through the Skills Development Fund Training Stream to deliver training to 356 Canadian Armed Forces members to prepare for in-demand jobs and transition to civilian life.
- Since its launch in 2021, Ontario’s SDF Training Stream has helped more than 600,000 workers train for in-demand sectors, including over 66,000 construction workers, over 92,000 manufacturing workers and over 36,000 personal support workers and health care workers.
- The Skills Development Fund Training Stream is supported through labour market transfer agreements between the Government of Canada and Government of Ontario.
- As the Government of Canada has unilaterally cut over $230 million annually from Ontario’s Labour Market Transfer Agreements, which supports employment and settlement service programs, Ontario continues to call for the federal government to reinstate this critical funding for Ontario workers and jobseekers.
- The Soldiers’ Aid Commission helps Ontario’s veterans and their families in financial need cover essential costs related to housing, specialized equipment, mental health support, employment and more.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love