EHRC — Empowering Futures
- Open Date : February 18, 2026
Overview
Employers can receive a $5,000 cash incentive to hire first-year apprentices in the 39 Red Seal Trades and an additional $5,000 if the apprentice is from an underrepresented group. Equity-deserving groups include women, Indigenous People, persons with dis
At a glance
Funding available
- Develop workforce skills
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Minimum amount : 5,000 $
- Open Date : February 18, 2026
Eligible candidates
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Canada
- For-profit business
- All revenue ranges
- All organization sizes
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Newcomers to Canada
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
- Women
Next Steps
Activities funded
The Empowering Futures grant facilitates projects that create new Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities within the electricity industry. These activities are designed to enhance student engagement, provide practical work experience, and align educational outcomes with the industry's evolving needs.
- Creating new work-integrated learning placements for students in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, arts, or business programs.
- Building partnerships between Canadian employers in the electricity sector and post-secondary institutions.
- Providing engaging and meaningful work experiences for students aimed at preparing them for the transition from school to careers in their field of study.
- Developing and implementing formal learning plans in collaboration with student participants to ensure educational and professional development needs are met.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
The Empowering Futures Program is available to Canadian-owned companies involved in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, including sectors supporting renewables like R&D, business development, and energy efficiency. It also supports firms engaged in manufacturing or providing services for electricity generation, transmission, or distribution. The program is also inclusive to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons with refugee protection who are students registered in a post-secondary institution and legally able to work in Canada. The placements must provide meaningful work-integrated learning opportunities aligned with students' academic programs.
Who is not eligible
Based on the provided context, there are specific companies and industries that are not eligible for this grant due to their operational focus and type of institution. These restrictions help align the program with targeted sectors for workforce development in the electricity industry.
- Non-Canadian-owned companies.
- Post-Secondary institutions.
Eligible expenses
Eligible projects and activities for the Empowering Futures grant focus on increasing work-integrated learning opportunities in Canada's electricity sector. These activities aim to build the future workforce through strategic and meaningful student placements.
- Creation of new co-op positions, internships, and work placements related to students' fields of study within the electricity and related sectors.
- Positions in organizations that generate, transmit, or distribute electricity, including those in renewable energy, R&D, business development, and energy efficiency.
- Opportunities in manufacturing or service provision needed for electricity generation, transmission, or distribution.
- Development and implementation of formal learning plans and professional skills training as part of the work-integrated learning experience.
- Partnerships between employers and post-secondary institutions to ensure curricula align with sector needs.
Eligible geographic areas
This grant appears to be focused on Canadian companies, based on the program's connection with the Government of Canada's Student Work Placement Program. The support is mostly aligned with Canadian federal initiatives, targeting businesses within Canada.
- Companies operating within Canada.
Additional information
Here are additional relevant details for this grant:
- The "net new" rule requires validation of increased student hires compared to the baseline year before program entry.
- A Formal Learning Plan must be devised with the participant before the placement starts.
- The company must provide EHRC with monthly financial claims and progress reports for each student.
- Enhanced subsidies are available for first-year students, women in STEM, newcomers to Canada, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous peoples.
- The program includes access to a Professional Skills Training Program for participants at no additional cost.