SkillsAdvance Ontario Pilot

• Completed application form

Who is eligible?

• Employers in active EI Work-Sharing agreements.
• Employers that can demonstrate workers needing upskilling or reskilling to prevent job loss.
• Employers with workforce development needs in high-potential sectors.
• Employment and training service providers.
• Other organizations that design, manage, deliver and/or coordinate employment and training services and programs, supported by government funding, including not-for-profit organizations or social agencies in Ontario, municipalities or DSSABs, CMSMs, trade unions, professional, industry or sector associations, local or regional Chambers of Commerce or Boards of Trade, SSMs, publicly assisted colleges, universities, Indigenous Institutes, career colleges registered under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005, District School Boards, and Indigenous Institutes.

Who is not eligible

• Private consultants, consultant lobbyists, and organizations that are not valid legal entities.
• Applicants that have abused similar funding in the past, have related persons who have abused similar funding in the past, have failed to comply with a current or previous agreement with the Government of Ontario, or have an outstanding debt owing to the Government of Ontario.

Eligible expenses

• Salaries for staff directly responsible for service delivery and project-related management.
• Hiring and training staff directly responsible for service delivery, including professional development.
• Tuition charged by educational institutions for training, plus books, software and materials required to complete the training.
• Direct materials and consumables, maintenance and support costs for equipment directly used for service delivery, materials and office supplies, operational printing, marketing costs, accounting services, auditor’s fees, and a pro-rated portion of lease or utility costs associated with direct training delivery.
• Travel costs for staff and volunteer transportation required for project activities, and operating costs incurred by employer partners for job placements in Service Provider-Led Agreements, other than participant wages and benefits and WSIB and insurance premiums paid in respect of participants.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Expenses or activities already funded by other sources, including provincial or federal government.
• Fees charged to participants.
• Creation of new post-secondary curriculum or course materials.
• Participant and employer financial supports for participants in job placements.

• Alignment with priority sectors and sector needs.
• Organizational capacity.
• Planned activities.
• Employer and participant services.
• Budget.

• Review the SAO Program Guidelines.
• Complete the application form in full.

• Applicants selected by the ministry are contacted to finalize project activities and a budget to be set out in a TP agreement.
• Successful applicants must enter a binding TP agreement with the ministry as representative of the Government of Ontario.
• If a binding TP agreement is executed, the funds are distributed in accordance with the terms of the TP agreement.
• The ministry retains the sole and absolute right not to enter into a TP agreement with any selected applicant.

• Prioritized sectors are outlined in the Appendix.
• New partners must be approved by the ministry before the TP recipient flows any funds to them.