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Employment Programs and Supports for Employers

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Find valuable Halton Region resources and support materials to employers.

Canada Ontario Job Grant (COJG)

The Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) is provincial program that provides direct financial support to individual employers who wish to purchase training for their workforce.

The COJG provides financial support to individual employers who wish to purchase training for their employees. It will be available to small, medium and large businesses with a plan to deliver short-term training to existing and new employees, and will:

  • Provide up to $10,000 in government support per person for training costs.
  • Require employers to contribute one-third of the total costs. There will be additional flexibility for small businesses to provide an in-kind contribution towards their share of the costs.
  • Require training to be delivered by an eligible, third-party trainer.

Click here to learn more about how COJG can benefit you (external link).

Do you qualify for COJG?

To qualify, you must:
  • Be an individual private or not-for-profit sector employer
  • First Nations
  • An organization acting on behalf of an employer (including union training halls, industry associations, training coordinators and other employer consortiums that meet the requirements below)

Eligibility criteria applies to all employers regardless of whether they are training one or multiple individuals.

An employer must:
  • make minimum cash and in-kind contributions towards training costs
  • employ the individual selected for training
  • be licensed to operate in Ontario
  • be applying for training that is delivered in Ontario and is related to a job that is also located in Ontario
  • comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Employment Standards Act
  • maintain appropriate Workplace Safety and Insurance Board or private workplace safety insurance coverage
  • have adequate third-party general liability insurance, as advised by its insurance broker
  • comply with all applicable federal and provincial human rights legislation, regulations, and any other relevant standards.
An employer must not:
  • be a federal, provincial or municipal government and/or agency
  • be a designated broader public sector organization, as defined by the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act (external link)
  • be district social services administration boards established under the District Social Services Administration Boards Act (notwithstanding their exclusion under the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act)
  • be a Canada-Ontario Job Grant service provider, or an Employment Service provider
  • be currently in receipt of other government funds related to the same skills training for the same individual (e.g., Employment Service or Youth Employment Fund Job Placements)
  • use training participants to displace existing staff or replace staff who are on lay-off.

To find out if you are eligible for the program, visit us in-person or dial 311 to set up an appointment.

Applying to COJG

During your application process, you will work with Employment Halton to determine if this program is right for you. If so, staff will also help you prepare and complete your application.

For more information on the application process, visit the Province’s Canada Ontario Job Grant webpage (external link).

Incentives

Training incentives

Employment Halton offers training incentives that may benefit your company. Incentives can offset the cost of training and hourly wages. They are based on:

  • Individual needs
  • Job complexity
  • Length of training required
Apprenticeship incentives

You may be eligible for a $2,000 employer signing bonus if you register, train and hire an apprentice:

  • $1,000 when the individual is registered.
  • $1,000 six months later if the individual is still working.

Hiring supports

Recruitment and hiring services

Employment Halton is a free service offered through Halton Region that can help you meet your hiring needs. We offer personalized services that include:

  • Screening and matching services to help you select the best candidate
  • Reference checking and education verification service
  • Training incentive programs to offset the cost of training and hourly wages
  • WSIB coverage during work placements
  • Follow up support for the employer and trainee
Halton's online job board

Haltonjobs.ca is a FREE and EASY job posting site that can help support your hiring needs. Employers can:

  • Post job opportunities
  • Connect with local job seekers
  • Access our screening and matching job referral services
  • Sign up to participate in job fairs
Employment Halton event details for employers

Haltonjobs.ca offers employers:

Hiring events
  • Each month, we invite employers to speak to job seekers about hiring practices and opportunities.
  • For more information on becoming a speaker, sign up by email at ieservices@halton.ca or by calling 311.
Job fairs
  • Participate in one of our regularly scheduled job fairs and meet qualified local candidates.
  • The event is open to the public.
  • For more information on participating in the job fair, sign up by email at ieservices@halton.ca or by calling 311.

Employers in Halton - resources

Need to hire new employees?

Employment Halton partners with organizations across the region to identify employment opportunities for qualified candidates, as well as provide a range of recruitment and hiring services.

We offer many FREE one-on-one supports.

For more information

Seeking information as an employer?

Employment Halton reviews and conducts research/projects to support employers in our Region. We also keep in touch with other organizations focused on supporting employment, and recommend their resources and information to help you hire and manage your workforce.

For more information

Contact us

Employment Halton
1151 Bronte Road
Oakville, ON L6M 3L1 (GoogleMaps link)

To receive in-person supports, please book an appointment by calling 311.

Telephone: 905-825-6000 ext. 2777
Toll Free: 1-866-4HALTON (1-866-442-5866) ext. 2777
TTY: 905-827-9833
Email: employmentservices@halton.ca

Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

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