Atlantic Canada Business Grants

Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

Apprenticeship START program

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Amount:

$30,000.00

Type of Program:

Subsidy

Description:

The objective of the Apprenticeship START program is to encourage employers to register, retain and support their apprentices to completion during their apprenticeship journey. There will be a focus on SMEs. 

Comments on Funding:

Employers can receive up to $25,000 in funding for the duration of the apprenticeship. If the employer hires an apprentice from an under-represented group, the funding increases to $30,000.

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Rolling Deadline

Eligibility:

Applicant must be:

  • be a business, organization (Not-for-profit and Social Enterprises), with a focus on SMEs,
  • be located in Nova Scotia,
  • have less than 10 apprentices,
  • be a company whose headquarters are outside Nova Scotia but who has a physical location in the province,
  • register a new or unemployed apprentice located anywhere in Nova Scotia (including the Halifax Regional Municipality, Truro, and Sydney),
  • register a diverse apprentice from an under-represented group (such as women in non-traditional trades, African Nova Scotians, Indigenous Peoples, Newcomers, or persons with physical disabilities).

Application Steps:

The applicant must:

1

complete an Apprenticeship Agreement with the apprentice and the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency,

2

wait for the application to be reviewed by an Industry Training Consultant (ITC) who will determine eligibility.

Documentation Needed:

No specific documentation has been identified.

Program Contact:

EMPLOYER SUPPORTS | Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

START Program Expansion Guidelines

Canadian Apprenticeship Service (CAS)

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Amount:

$20.000 

Type of Program:

Grants

Description:

Canadian Apprenticeship Service (CAS) is a new initiative where Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with less than 500 employees may be eligible to receive funding for hiring new, first-year apprentices in Red Seal trades in the construction and industrial/manufacturing sectors. Additional supports will be provided to participating employers to create safe, healthy, and inclusive workplaces. Canadian Apprenticeship Service is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada. 

Comments on Funding:

A financial incentive in the amount of $5,000 will be provided to eligible employers. An additional $5,000 will be issued if the apprentice voluntarily attests to being from at least one of the equity-deserving groups. The employer may be eligible to receive financial incentives for hiring a maximum of two new first-year apprentices per fiscal year, to a maximum financial incentive of $20,000.

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Rolling deadline

Eligibility:

To be eligible for Canadian Apprenticeship Service, the employer must agree to the following terms and conditions:

  • The employer must have less than 500 employees and be based in Nova Scotia.
  • The apprentice must be a new first-year apprentice in at least one of the 39 Red Seal construction and/or manufacturing trades.
  • The employer shall not enter into another agreement with any other organization receiving funding under the Canada Apprenticeship Service within the same Fiscal Year for the purpose of receiving a financial incentive.
  • The employer must allow a financial audit by the Nova Scotia Apprentice Agency upon request and to provide access to the business premises and business site.
  • The employer must repay the financial incentive where a payment was made in error or company was not eligible to receive the financial incentive.

Application Steps:

Employers do not need to apply for funding. Once an apprenticeship agreement is signed between the employer and the apprentice, the apprenticeship agreement will be assessed and if eligible, funding will be dispersed to the employer.

Documentation Needed: 

No specific documentation has been identified.

Other Things to Note:

Canadian Apprenticeship Service is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada. CAS complements Nova Scotia’s Apprenticeship START program, which also provides employer incentives for hiring and progressing apprentices, including added incentives for hiring individuals from equity-deserving groups. Employers in Nova Scotia are eligible for blended funding through both programs. 

Program Contact:

Canadian Apprenticeship Service