Funding
Below are the main public programs that help employers pay for staff training in Canada and the United States. Each program sets its own rules on who qualifies, which courses count and which providers can deliver them, so check the official page before you rely on a figure.
Canada
Federal funds
Workforce Development Agreements. Federal funds that each province and territory uses for its own training programs, including support for employers who train current or future staff. These agreements replaced the Canada Job Fund agreements, which included the Canada Job Grant.
Ontario
Up to C$10,000 per trainee
Ontario Job Grant. The redesigned Canada-Ontario Job Grant, launched under its new name in May 2026. Government pays half the cost for employers with 100 or more staff, and up to five sixths for smaller employers. Training comes from approved third party providers.
British Columbia
80% of costs
B.C. Employer Training Grant. Pays 80% of eligible training costs for employers operating in B.C., up to C$10,000 per employee and C$300,000 per employer each fiscal year.
Alberta
75% of costs
Canada-Alberta Productivity Grant. Alberta's employer training grant; the Canada-Alberta Job Grant page now leads to it. Government pays 75% of eligible training costs, up to C$5,000 per employed trainee and C$100,000 per employer each fiscal year, for training by established third party providers.
Quebec
1% of payroll
Workforce skills development and recognition. Employers with a total payroll over C$2 million spend at least 1% of it on eligible training each year, or pay the difference into the Workforce Skills Development and Recognition Fund.
Quebec
Set for each project
Workforce training measure (MFOR), business component. Services Québec may pay part of the cost of training staff, such as trainer fees and training materials. A business advisor at a regional office sets the amount.
United States
Up to 20% of local funds
WIOA incumbent worker training. Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, local workforce development boards may set aside up to 20% of their adult and dislocated worker funds to train people already in work, and states may add statewide funds. The employer pays a share of the cost.
California
Paid on results
Employment Training Panel. Reimburses employers for training once trainees complete the hours and stay in work at a set wage for a set period. Funded by a tax on employers collected with unemployment insurance; over US$2 billion paid out since 1982.
Texas
Up to US$500,000
Skills Development Fund. The Texas Workforce Commission funds custom training for a business through a partner such as a public community or technical college or a workforce development board. Trainees must be full time W-2 employees.
Ireland, the UK and Europe
See our other sites
Schemes outside North America are on aiupskill.ie, aviteams.co.uk and aiupskill.eu.
Checked against official pages on 27 October 2026: Government of Canada, Ontario, WorkBC, Alberta, Revenu Québec, Québec.ca, 20 CFR 680, subpart F, Employment Training Panel and Texas Workforce Commission. Rates and windows change each year.
Funding pays for the training. Your records show it happened. Every seat comes with certificates and a sponsor report, so one piece of work answers both. Talk to us about the training itself, and we will shape a proposal around your people. Request a proposal
Why North American employers are acting now
of US businesses used AI at the end of July 2026, up 4 points since the start of the year
Source: US Census Bureau, reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, August 2026of Canadian businesses used AI in the year to spring 2026, three times the share two years before
Source: Statistics Canada, June 2026US businesses with no plans to use AI say they lack knowledge of what it can do
Source: US Census Bureau AI supplement, reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, May 2026of Canadian businesses that use AI have trained their existing staff to use it
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