EHRC — Discovering Potential

The Discovering Potential Program offers substantial subsidy reimbursements to facilitate employer-sponsored youth internships and training initiatives. These modalitities are designed to maximize impact by covering a significant portion of wages and training costs.

• Subsidy reimbursement for internships covers 75% of the participant’s gross salary up to a maximum of $24,000.
• Subsidy reimbursement for training covers 100% of the participant’s training costs up to a maximum of $24,000.
• Additional financial support may be accessible for initiatives that assist Indigenous youth, participants with disabilities, or those in the North, rural, or remote communities.
• Employers are required to co-fund the initiative by paying at least 25% of each participant's salary.
• Retroactive applications for subsidy reimbursement are not accepted.

Eligibility for employer organizations under the Discovering Potential Program is determined by their primary activities, registration status, and the nature of the internships or training opportunities they provide.

• Firms whose primary activity is the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity.
• Sector support, including renewables, in areas such as R & D, business development, energy efficiency, fuel switching, clean energy technology, smart grid, energy storage, sustainable development of non-renewable resources.
• Firms engaged in the manufacturing of equipment or the provision of services necessary for generation, transmission or distribution of electricity.
• Firms incorporated or registered in Canada, including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.
• Indigenous organizations and groups.
• Provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and their departments and agencies.
• The organization must provide full-time paid internships and training opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and other related fields to promote positive environmental outcomes.

Who is eligible?

Eligible applicants for this grant program include employers or training organizations in the electricity sector that meet certain criteria. These include firms whose primary activities involve the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, organizations involved in renewables and related R&D, business development activities, and other entities that contribute to the electricity sector. Also included are indigenous organizations, various levels of government and their agencies, and those that provide internships or training opportunities in STEM and environmental fields for youth.

Eligible expenses

Eligible expenses for the grant include costs associated with wage and training reimbursements for participants.

• 75% of the participant’s gross wage up to a maximum of $24,000 in subsidies per participant.
• 100% reimbursement of the participant’s training costs up to a maximum of $24,000.

Eligible geographic areas

The Discovering Potential grant is available to companies situated within Canada. Eligible locations reflect the program's aim to support organizations in various parts of the country.

• Organizations incorporated or registered in Canada, including for-profit and not-for-profit entities.
• Indigenous organizations and groups across Canadian territories.

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The program is currently at capacity and is not accepting new applications; interested employers can be placed on a waitlist by contacting the program manager.
• Employers must develop a Formal Learning Plan with the participant before the start of the placement/training.
• The program offers additional funding for opportunities supporting indigenous youth, participants with disabilities, or those in Northern, rural, or remote communities.
• Employers must provide proof of employment and other related documentation to EHRC upon request.
• Monthly financial claims and progress reports for each participant are necessary for reimbursement.
• Participants receive a free professional skills training course as part of the program.