Ontario Investing to Protect and Train Home Builders

Skills Development Fund investment will help construction workers build homes faster and smarter

Today, the Ontario government announced an investment of $1.5 million through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream to help 100 experienced construction workers become mentors and train others in emerging home construction technologies and modern building practices. This is part of the government’s $2.5 billion investment in the SDF to protect Ontario workers by giving them the training and tools necessary to land in-demand jobs, while supporting the government’s plan to build more housing.

“We are facing unprecedented economic times, and Ontario needs highly skilled workers that can deliver on our historic $200 billion infrastructure plan to build more homes and other critical infrastructure over the next decade,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “With this investment, we are making sure more home builders have the skills to help open doors to good-paying jobs building more housing in our communities, keeping the dream of home ownership alive for families across the province.”

The investment was announced today by Mohamed Firin, Parliamentary Assistant to Minister Piccini, at the offices of Panel-It, a St. Thomas-based division of Doug Tarry Homes. Led by the Ontario Home Builders Association (OHBA), the Futures Faster program will begin by training mentors in leadership and specialized areas such as building code changes and emerging technologies.

Once trained, mentors will be matched with “mentees” — including recent graduates and those at risk of job displacement. Mentors will provide training and career advice to mentees, helping them complete up to two credentials in high-demand areas such as resilient construction, new 18-storey mass timber regulations and radon mitigation practices. This will offer both mentors and mentees a pathway to become specialized experts and advance in their careers.

“Ontario’s skilled trades are the backbone of our economy and mentorship is key to helping the next generation succeed,” said Parliamentary Assistant Firin. “By training experienced workers to become mentors, we’re strengthening Ontario’s workforce and creating new pathways for jobseekers to gain the skills and confidence they need to thrive.”

Since its launch in 2021, Ontario has invested $1.5 billion through the SDF Training Stream and Capital Stream to help train more than one million workers for in-demand careers. As announced in the 2025 Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario, the government is investing $1 billion more through the Skills Development Fund over the next three years, bringing the total to $2.5 billion, to support key industrial sectors and help train even more workers.

Quick Facts

• People interested in applying to the Futures Faster mentorship program are encouraged to contact support@futuresfaster.ca or visit www.futuresfaster.ca.
• There were over 10,500 jobs going unfilled in Ontario’s construction sector in the second quarter of 2025.
• On July 29, the Ontario government launched a new call for project proposals for the Skills Development Fund Training Stream totaling $260 million. Interested organizations can visit the SDF Training Stream website and have until October 1^st to apply.
• The SDF Training Stream rounds 1 to 5 are supported through labour market transfer agreements between the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. SDF Training Round 6 is supported exclusively by the Government of Ontario.
• On August 20, the Ontario government announced a $70-million investment to support the Protect Ontario Workers Employment Response (POWER) Centres and enhance Better Jobs Ontario (BJO). These changes will help train and upskill jobseekers and workers affected by U.S. tariffs, so that they can secure better jobs with bigger paycheques.
• The Ontario government is also helping to speed up the construction of new homes and infrastructure, including by streamlining development processes and reducing costs in close partnership with municipalities, through the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act 2025.
• As part of the province’s plan to protect Ontario and invest in infrastructure that supports building homes, economic growth and keeping workers on the job, our three-year $1.2 billion Building Faster Fund encourages municipalities to speed up approval processes and get more homes built faster.