August 20, 2025
RED FM News Desk
The Ontario government is investing $70 million to strengthen training and employment supports for workers impacted by U.S. tariffs and global economic changes. The funding will expand the province’s Protect Ontario Workers Employment Response (POWER) Centres and enhance the Better Jobs Ontario (BJO) program, helping people retrain quickly for in-demand, well paying careers.
As part of the plan, $20 million will go toward upgrading and expanding POWER Centres, which offer training, job search assistance, and employment services in partnership with unions, community groups, and educational institutions.
For the first time, these centres will be able to launch proactively, even before layoffs occur, and respond to workforce disruptions within 24 hours. Premier Doug Ford said the investment will ensure workers can “retrain fast, land good-paying jobs and get back to work building a stronger, more resilient Ontario.”
The province is also dedicating an additional $50 million to Better Jobs Ontario, expanding access to vocational training with up to $35,000 in support for tuition, childcare, and transportation.
This funding will particularly benefit youth, social assistance recipients, and others facing employment barriers. Labour Minister David Piccini called the initiative a proactive response to global economic shifts, while union representatives welcomed the move as a way to provide more stable funding and services to Ontario workers.
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