SCAET building at Sheridan's Trafalgar Road Campus

Better Jobs Ontario

What is Better Jobs Ontario?

Better Jobs Ontario is an Ontario government program that enables laid-off Ontarians to train for a new job in high-demand careers.

Better Jobs Ontario helps people get the training or education they need to get a good job. It is a cost-sharing grant provided on the basis of need, so you may be asked to contribute what you can to your training or education. It may provide financial support up to $28,000 and consider costs for:

  • Tuition
  • Books
  • Living expenses
  • Help caring for dependents
  • Travel
  • Transportation
  • Disability supports
  • Basic living allowance (during skill training)

Additional costs may be considered for disability accommodation, dependent care, living away from home and academic upgrading.

Skills training for up to two years in duration will be considered. If academic upgrading or English as a Second Language training is required as a prerequisite to skills training, the total training period can be up to three years.

Eligibility

You qualify for Better Jobs Ontario if you either:

  • have been laid-off and have not been working or are working a temporary job just to cover costs.
  • have not been laid-off but have been unemployed for six months or longer and are part of a low-income household.

You can still apply if you receive either:

  • Employment Insurance (EI)
  • Ontario Works (OW)
  • Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)

Laid-off due to COVID-19

While the Better Jobs Ontario program is open to unemployed jobseekers, a fast-track stream is available if you were laid-off because of COVID-19 and want to retrain for jobs in sectors that have potential for future employment.

If your application meets all of the following criteria, you will go through a faster approval process, giving you access to training sooner:

  • You were laid-off on or after March 1, 2020.
  • You have a high school education or less, you were laid-off from an occupation requiring no more than a high school education and job-specific training, such as food and beverage servers, flight attendants and retail salespersons.
  • You were laid-off from an industry hit hard by the pandemic, such as hospitality and food services, transportation and warehousing or wholesale and retail trade.
  • You want to train for a career in demand in a local community or provincial priority area. 

How can Community Employment Services help?

Sheridan Community Employment Services can help you with your Better Jobs Ontario funding application. We offer one-on-one support with an individual Employment Consultant who will assist you from start to finish!

Better Jobs Ontario resources

Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD) resources

Self-Service websites

Academic Upgrading

Career Exploration, Planning & Development

Application for School/Training

Labour Market Information

Resources for Internationally-Trained Individuals/Professionals

Credential Evaluation

Apprenticeship & Skilled Trades Information

Entrepreneurial & Self-Employment Sites

Other Sites of Interest

CES

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