A new federal grant is giving Canadian employers a powerful incentive to retain and reskill workers instead of laying them off—and the application window is now open. In a recent piece for Canadian HR Reporter, Sarah Dobson details a $102.7‑million Worker Retention Grant that deserves every HR leader’s attention.
The grant is aimed at employers participating in the federal Work‑Sharing program and is designed to top up employee earnings while they train, so workers can maintain up to roughly 70 per cent of their usual income during reduced hours. In practice, that means employers can temporarily redeploy people into training without forcing them to absorb a major financial hit—addressing one of the biggest barriers to upskilling during downturns.
As Dobson notes, the program is part of a broader federal push to help organizations adapt to economic pressures and rapid technological change while preserving talent. Rather than defaulting to permanent layoffs, employers are being nudged to think strategically: Who can we retrain, and for what future roles?
If you’re an HR leader or business owner in Canada, this is the moment to sit down with your finance lead and ask: Where could targeted training now prevent painful hiring later?
You can read Sarah Dobson’s full article, “Apply now: $102.7‑million grant to help employers retain workers while they train,” on Canadian HR Reporter and get the details on eligibility, timelines, and how to apply.
See the article here: https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/recruitment-and-staffing/apply-now-1027million-grant-to-help-employers-retain-workers-while-they-train/394080