Canada-Alberta Job Grant
On August 7, 2024, the Alberta Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade, Matt Jones, released a statement that “put an indefinite hold on the Canada-Alberta Job Grant program for the remainder of the 2024-25 fiscal year.”
This announcement came as a surprise to many people who access the program, including those in the nonprofit sector. Read on to understand the implications for Alberta nonprofits.
What is the Canada-Alberta Job Grant?
The Canada-Alberta Job Grant is a training program where an employer applies on behalf of their present or future employees for eligible training costs. Employers decide who gets training and what type of training may be needed for their employees.
Funding provided by the Government of Canada is through the Workforce Development Agreement.
Source: https://www.alberta.ca/canada-alberta-job-grant
What is the Workforce Development Agreement?
The Government of Canada’s largest investment in skills training and employment is through funding provided to provinces and territories. Each year, the Government of Canada provides approximately $3 billion in funding through the bilateral Labour Market Development Agreements (LMDAs) and the Workforce Development Agreements (WDAs) for individuals and employers to receive:
training
upskilling
employment supports
career counselling, and
job search assistance
Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/training-agreements.html
What happened with the Canada-Alberta Job Grant?
The Canada-Alberta Job Grant is closed for applications until March 31, 2025. Applications submitted prior to the closure will continue to be processed.
Why is the Canada-Alberta Job Grant on hold?
Alberta is still set to receive $250 million in 2024-25 through the LMTA and Workforce Development Agreements (which supports the Canada-Alberta Job Grant), but ‘top-up’ funding, which was available starting in 2017 is no longer available in 2024.
Provincial and territorial labour market ministers requested that this funding be restored and note they were not aware of the end to the top up funding in Budget 2024; the Federal Minister, however, claims they announced in Budget 2023 that the top up funding would only be extended for one more year.
How does the hold impact Alberta nonprofits?
303 nonprofit employers accessed the Canada-Alberta Job Grant in 2022-23, representing 9% of total employers who accessed the grant.
There is immediate concern for short term consequences on trainees, nonprofit employers, and on nonprofits that offer training, who were all taken by surprise at the early end to the Canada-Alberta Job Grant program intake. There is also concern over the long-term plans of the Government of Alberta to continue the program.
What happens next?
Stay tuned to our newsletter for any information on this program as it becomes available and a sharing of any advocacy efforts on this issue.
Contact
If you have any questions about the program or the impact of the Minister’s announcement, please connect with the Canada-Alberta Job Grant processing centre:
Phone: 780-638-9424 (in Edmonton)
Toll free: 1-855-638-9424
Email: jobgrant@gov.ab.ca