In The Trades provides financial and training incentives for unionized Canadian contractors who hire, onboard, train and retain skilled trades, first-year apprentices.
ABOUTTHE PROGRAM
Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) created the In The Trades apprenticeship program to support unionized contractors in Canada by providing financial incentives to hire and effectively onboard and retain first-year apprentices.
Contractors can receive $5,000 for new first-year apprentices and $10,000 for onboarding equity deserving apprentices.

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FREQUENTLYASKED QUESTIONS
What are the eligibility requirements for this program?
Unionized contractors must meet the following program requirements to participate:
- Have less than 500 employees at the time of application
- Hire a first-year apprentice in one of the 39 approved trades
- Legal agreement must pre-date the hiring of the first-year apprentice
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A NEW FIRST-YEAR APPRENTICE?
“New first-year apprentice” refers to any person registered as an apprentice by the apprenticeship authority in their Province or Territory and in the first year of their apprenticeship training.
What are the eligible Red Seal trades?
A list of the 39 eligible Red Seal trades can found online at the following link: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/apprentice-service-program.html
Can an eligible contractor hire an apprentice if that person worked for the contractor before becoming a first-year apprentice?
Yes
Can an eligible contractor hire a first-year apprentice if they were already an apprentice, but in a different trade?
Yes
Can an eligible contractor hire a first-year apprentice if they apprenticed with a different contractor before?
Yes – As long as the employee is not currently employed by another contractor at the time that the small and medium-sized contractor hires them, and they still qualify as a first-year Red Seal apprentice.
Who falls into the equity-deserving groups?
The list of groups where the additional $5,000 applies includes:
- women,
- persons with disabilities,
- Indigenous peoples,
- Members of the LGBTQ2+ communities,
- newcomers, and
- visible minorities.
The contractor is eligible for the additional funds if the first-year apprentice is from at least one of the equity-deserving groups.
I am a contractor and haven’t started a new apprentice in several years. How do I go about hiring a unionized first-year apprentice?
Contact your contractor association and local union to review hiring procedures and ratio compliance. This is a Canada-wide initiative and pathways for apprentices entering the trades may be different for each province or territory.
Who receives the financial incentive and additional supports if the union pays the apprentices’ salary?
If the employer is the union (paying the apprentice’s salary), then the union would receive the financial incentive, provided they meet all program requirements. If the contractor is paying the apprentice’s salary, then the contractor would receive the financial incentive and additional supports.
When will the eligible contractor receive their financial incentive?
The first payment of $5,000 made to the employer after:
- The contractor has completed the initial application through the In The Trades online portal
- The first-year apprentice has completed the mandatory SkillPlan training modules, and their proof of completion has been uploaded to the online portal by the employer
- The contractor has signed the legal agreement and a new first-year apprentice is hired
The second payment of $5,000 will be made to the contractor if the first-year apprentice is from at least one of the equity-deserving groups
Our unionized company is made up of separate operating divisions. Can each division access the funding?
Yes – Each division of your company would require a separate Business Registration Number with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and have 499 paid employees or less to qualify for funding.
How many first–year apprentices can our company get funding for?
Funding is available for two first-year apprentices for each year of the program:
- June 17, 2022 – March 31, 2023
- April 1, 2023 – March 2024
What supports are there for the apprentices with the In The Trades Program ?
The CBTU has partnered with SkillPlan (skillplan.ca) to provide workplace diversity, inclusion, and mentorship training. SkillPlan is a nationally recognized leader in workforce development programming. With over 30 years of experience, SkillPlan provides workforce developing services and resources to the construction industry, with a focus on pinpointing foundational skills problems, addressing learning challenges and delivering industry-specific educational programs to help workers succeed in technical training and on the job.
What information is required to complete the online application?
Grant Application Checklist
Contractor:
- Business Name & Address
- Provincial Registration Number
- Number of Employees
- Years in Business
- Signed agreement
- EFT information
Apprentice:
- Name & Date of Birth
- Email Address
- Apprenticeship ID Number & Trade
- SIN Number
- Email Address
- Union Local
- Gender & Equity Deserving Status
- Proof of completion of the two mandatory SkillPlan training modules
Have more questions? Contact us
VIEW THE IN THE TRADES PROMOTIONAL VIDEO
REQUESTINFORMATION
Interested in exploring a career in the skilled trades but not sure where to start? Visit the Construction Trades Hub to learn more about trades within your province.
IN THE TRADES TEAM
Erik Hueglin
Project Director
ehueglin@inthetrades.ca
(613) 889-3045
Nicole McCallion
Associate Project Director
nmccallion@inthetrades.ca
(613) 889-0053
Joe Bagri
Project Manager – Western Region
jbagri@inthetrades.ca
(613) 889-0047
Jill Timushka
Regional Coordinator – Prairies
jtimushka@inthetrades.ca
(613) 889-1426
Shawna Serniak
Diversity Liaison – Prairies
sserniak@inthetrades.ca
(613) 889-1459
Peter Reed
Liaison – Hammer Heads Program
preed@inthetrades.ca
(905) 904-0458
Carol Simpson
Project Manager – Eastern Region
csimpson@inthetrades.ca
(613) 889-2058
John McCollum
Regional Coordinator – Ontario
jmccollum@inthetrades.ca
(613) 889-1461
Brandi Jonathan
Diversity Liaison – Ontario
bjonathan@inthetrades.ca
(289) 246-0928
Rachelle Cochrane
Regional Coordinator – Atlantic
rcochrane@inthetrades.ca
(709) 685-2155
Allison Ball
Diversity Liaison – Atlantic
aball@inthetrades.ca
(506) 229-5221
