The Ontario government is investing nearly $2.8 million through Skills Advance Ontario (SAO) to help retrain workers and jobseekers from the pulp, paper and forestry industries, supporting workforce development across northwestern Ontario.

The funding will provide Confederation College of Applied Arts & Technology in Thunder Bay with $2,780,400 to deliver practical skills training for 110 participants. The initiative is designed to help workers transition into skilled trades that remain in demand as parts of the region’s resource-based industries continue to undergo restructuring.

According to Confederation College President Michelle Salo, the investment will strengthen practical workforce skills while preparing participants for new employment opportunities across northwestern Ontario.

The training program will focus on occupations experiencing continued labour demand, including:

• Heavy equipment operation
• Millwrighting
• Welding
• Electrical trades
• Commercial driving

The courses aim to help address regional skills shortages while supporting workers seeking new career opportunities within industrial and infrastructure sectors.

Ontario’s Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, Nolan Quinn, said the funding will expand access to hands-on skilled trades training, helping workers in northern communities qualify for well-paying technical careers.

The SAO funding forms part of a broader Canada–Ontario Workforce Tariff Response initiative valued at more than $7.2 million, jointly supported by the federal and provincial governments. The program is intended to assist workers affected by changing economic conditions and industry restructuring across northern Ontario.

In addition to Confederation College, funding is also being provided to the Canadian Skills Training and Employment Coalition (CSTEC), Washagamis Bay Investment Corporation, and Algoma Steel to support regional workforce development initiatives.

Federal Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu, who is also responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor), said the combined investment is expected to equip more than 500 workers with skills needed for high-demand occupations, helping strengthen the long-term resilience of communities across northern Ontario.

For the pulp and paper industry, workforce availability continues to be a critical issue as many mills face an aging workforce, skilled trades shortages and operational changes. Training initiatives such as this are intended to help experienced workers transition into roles that remain essential to industrial manufacturing, maintenance and resource processing while supporting the region’s broader economic development.

Last Updated on 29/07/2026 by Jota Machinery