Canada Announces Over $430 Million Investment in Apprenticeship Training Through UTIP
On October 15, 2026, the Government of Canada announced an investment of more than $430 million over five years into the Union Training and Innovation Program to expand training infrastructure, fund innovation projects, and support equipment purchases for skilled trades.
OTTAWA, Ontario — On October 15, 2026, the Government of Canada announced an investment of more than $430 million over the next five years into the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) as part of the Team Canada Strong initiative. The Honourable John Zerucelli, Secretary of State (Labour), invited applications for infrastructure expansion, innovation projects, and equipment purchases aimed at addressing workforce needs in the skilled trades.
The funding is divided across three streams. The government is investing $197.2 million over five years in training infrastructure, with applications due by November 12 and projects potentially launching in Spring 2027. Applications for UTIP Innovation projects, which total $135 million over five years, must be submitted by December 17. An additional $100 million over five years is allocated for training equipment.
To address rising equipment and material costs for eligible organizations, the announcement introduced a temporary increase to the maximum contribution rate for training equipment purchases, raising it from 50% to 70%. This measure is intended to improve access to and quality of apprenticeship training while supporting pre-apprentices, apprentices, and journeypersons.
Canada is projected to have more than 1.4 million job openings in the skilled trades between 2024 and 2033. The investment aims to create opportunities for Canadians to enter these fields and strengthen critical infrastructure and economic projects.
Since 2017, the UTIP has supported nearly 220,000 participants, including approximately 45,500 participants in 2025–26. Canada's Building Trades Unions (CBTU) represents 14 affiliates and 500,000 unionized skilled tradespeople across 200 training centres.
This announcement is part of an $8 billion Team Canada Strong investment, with the federal government providing nearly $1 billion annually in apprenticeship supports through programs such as the Red Seal Program.