Ontario Investing $215 Million to Support Provincial Shipbuilding Sector

The Ontario government is investing $215 million to support shipbuilding and the broader marine sector in the province, including through the establishment of a $15 million Ontario Shipbuilding Grant Program (OSGP) to expand the province’s shipbuilding sector. The support provided through the OSGP will ensure Ontario is positioned to support Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy and support Ontario manufacturing businesses and workers in the face of U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty. The OSGP will fund projects that support skills training, infrastructure improvements and the purchase of machinery and equipment in the shipbuilding sector.

“With our NATO allies meeting this week, Ontario workers are ready to step up and build the ships that will protect Ontario and Canada,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “As the federal government increases its defence commitment to meet our NATO spending targets, our government is ensuring Ontario workers and businesses have the skills and equipment they need to help. Now, it’s up to the federal government to ensure Ontario shipbuilders are included in its National Shipbuilding Strategy.”

The OSGP will help Ontario-based shipbuilding businesses support Canada’s shipbuilding capacity under the federal National Shipbuilding Strategy. The first-of-its-kind program in Ontario will provide shipbuilders access to non-repayable grants for up to 50 per cent of eligible costs for projects that support the shipbuilding industry’s competitiveness, business growth and long-term capacity. Applications will open in late July through Transfer Payment Ontario. More information on the program can be accessed through Ontario’s funding opportunities webpage.

Ontario’s crucial role as Canada’s economic and manufacturing engine and the proven capabilities of the province’s skilled workforce can help meet the federal government’s shipbuilding procurement needs. With support from the OSGP, Ontario’s shipbuilding sector will have the skills, knowledge, infrastructure and workers to contribute to Canada’s maritime security and help shape its shipbuilding future.

Today’s investment will strengthen the shipbuilding workforce by allowing workers to upskill and stay up to date with emerging technologies and industry standards. This will enhance Ontario’s economic competitiveness and development throughout the province, including in northern Ontario, which is key to unlocking potential in the shipbuilding industry.

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