Canada Skills for Success Program: Training and Tools Stream Funding

The Canada Skills for Success Program – Training and Tools Stream provided funding of up to $10 million per project to eligible organizations developing skills training, assessment tools and training resources. The program focused on foundational and transferable skills, digital skills and labour-market needs. The application period for this funding call is now closed.

Background & Funding Description

The Canada Skills for Success Program – Training and Tools Stream was a Government of Canada funding opportunity designed to support organizations working to strengthen the foundational and transferable skills Canadians need to prepare for, obtain and retain employment.

The program responded to changing skills requirements and labour-market challenges while supporting the broader adoption of Canada’s Skills for Success Model. Under the funding call, organizations could propose projects focused on designing and implementing training or developing assessment tools and training resources.

The Training and Tools Stream was one of two funding streams under the call. The other was the Research and Innovation Stream, which was covered under a separate funding opportunity.

The funding opportunity was substantial, with eligible organizations able to request up to $10 million per project. Projects under the Training and Tools Stream were required to end by March 31, 2024.

Current Application Status

The Government of Canada source lists the Training and Tools Stream as closed.

The application period ran from January 26, 2022, to March 9, 2022, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. Funding decisions were expected in late fall 2022.

Consequently, organizations cannot use the information below to submit an application to this historical funding call. However, the programme details remain useful for understanding the type of projects and organizations previously supported through the Skills for Success framework.

Funding Objectives

The Training and Tools Stream had two principal objectives.

Objective A: Training

The first objective was to design and implement training that could help individuals improve their foundational and transferable skills and become better prepared to meet workplace demands.

Projects pursuing this objective needed to involve employers or employer organizations. This requirement was intended to ensure that training addressed current and future skills requirements within particular industries or occupations.

Projects also needed to be partnership-driven, involving collaboration between organizations that could contribute to the success of the training model. Partnerships could involve sectors, regions, industries, community or nonprofit groups, educational institutions and other training providers.

Objective B: Assessment Tools and Training Resources

The second objective focused on developing assessment tools and training resources.

Resources developed under this objective were required to be made available to Canadians online or through another accessible format and provided at no cost.

Projects combining both objectives needed to satisfy the additional requirements associated with each.

Eligible Applicants

The funding call was open to several types of organizations.

Eligible applicants included:

Not-for-profit organizations
For-profit organizations where the activity was non-commercial and aligned with programme priorities
Labour unions
Municipal governments
Indigenous organizations
Band councils
Tribal councils
Self-government entities
Provincial and territorial governments, institutions, agencies and Crown corporations

For-profit organizations were subject to an important condition: the nature and intent of the proposed activity had to be non-commercial, not intended to generate profit, and supportive of the programme’s priorities and objectives.

Eligible Projects

Projects had to satisfy several requirements.

The project duration could not extend beyond March 31, 2024. Eligible projects could have national, regional or remote scope depending on the activities and target populations.

National projects could include activities taking place across more than one province or territory, including online activities. Regional projects could operate within a province or territory while targeting racialized groups or Official Language Minority Communities. Remote projects were associated with communities with a population below 1,000 and limited access to services from a nearby municipality with a population of 1,000 or more.

Projects also needed to focus on training and/or assessment tools and training resources while supporting broad adoption and uptake of the Skills for Success Model.

Applicants were also required to ensure that access to training was not affected by gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation and to include a strategy supporting gender equality in training delivery.

Priority Areas

The programme’s assessment process included additional funding considerations.

Priority could be given to projects targeting social-emotional skills, including collaboration, communication, problem solving, adaptability, creativity and innovation, as well as digital skills.

Projects addressing the needs of under-represented groups in the labour market could also receive priority consideration.

These groups included:

Women
Persons with disabilities
Indigenous people
Members of official language minority communities
Newcomers
Racialized groups

The Government of Canada indicated an intention to allocate approximately 50% of programme funding to under-represented groups, with portions specifically directed toward persons with disabilities and racialized Canadians.

How Applications Were Assessed

Applications were reviewed through a multi-stage process.

First, applications were screened against mandatory eligibility requirements. The assessment then considered how well the proposed project addressed the programme objectives, using information supplied in the application and supporting budget documents.

Additional funding considerations could also be applied when comparing projects.

Project assessment considered several major areas.

Organizational Capacity

Applicants needed to demonstrate relevant organizational experience and explain their capacity to deliver the proposed project.

Project Objectives

Applications needed to clearly demonstrate alignment with one or both Training and Tools Stream objectives.

Project Activities

Applicants were expected to describe project activities clearly and provide realistic timelines for implementation.

Project Results

Expected results needed to be specific, concrete and measurable. Applicants also needed to explain how they would collect, measure and report results.

Project Costs

Applicants needed to provide a clear justification for proposed expenditures and demonstrate that costs were reasonable, detailed and connected to project activities.

Supporting Documents and Application Process

Applicants were required to gather several documents and pieces of information before applying.

These included:

Completed application form
Budget detail template
Partnership letters where the project focused on Objective A

Applicants could apply online, by email or by mail under the procedures specified for the call. Online applicants needed to create a GCOS account, review the applicant guide, complete the application and upload the required budget documentation.

The online application system had important procedural requirements. Once applicants began completing the online form, the session was available for 20 hours, and the application could not be saved for later access.

Applicants were able to print a copy before submitting, and they needed to click the submission option for the application to be officially transmitted.

Skills for Success Model

A central element of the programme was Canada’s Skills for Success Model.

The model focuses on foundational and transferable skills that help people develop additional skills, perform effectively in different occupations and participate successfully in work, learning and everyday life.

The programme used these skills as a foundation for responding to current and future labour-market requirements.

The funding call also emphasized the importance of measuring results, sharing successful practices and developing sustainability strategies.

Recipients were expected to track project activities, progress and achievements and report relevant information to the programme.

Why This Funding Opportunity Was Important

The Skills for Success Training and Tools Stream represented a significant investment in workforce development and skills training.

By supporting organizations that could develop training programmes, assessment tools and accessible resources, the initiative aimed to help Canadians respond to changing workplace requirements.

The emphasis on employer collaboration, partnerships, measurable outcomes, digital skills and under-represented groups also reflected the programme’s focus on connecting skills development with real labour-market needs.

For organizations working in workforce development, education, employment services, community programming or skills training, the programme provides an example of how large-scale government funding can be structured around measurable skills outcomes and partnership-based delivery.

Conclusion

The Canada Skills for Success Program – Training and Tools Stream was a major Government of Canada funding initiative supporting organizations that developed training, assessment tools and resources designed to strengthen foundational and transferable skills.

Eligible organizations could seek up to $10 million per project, while proposed activities needed to align with the programme’s objectives, address labour-market needs and meet specific eligibility and project requirements.

However, this particular funding call is closed. Its application period ended on March 9, 2022, and the funded projects were required to conclude by March 31, 2024.

Organizations interested in similar Canadian government funding should therefore check current Government of Canada funding programmes rather than relying on this expired call. The official source also directs visitors to other available funding opportunities.

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