OEL Endorses Ontario’s Recently Announced Apprenticeship Program

EIN OEL 400

Nov 12, 2020

The Ontario Electrical League (OEL) is pleased to see that the Ford government has made a significant investment into the creation of an Apprentice Sponsorship Group initiative in the 2020 Ontario Budget.

The newly announced program would support business participation in sponsoring apprentices in 2020/2021 by investing $20 million to encourage small- and medium-sized contractors to come together and provide the necessary resources for a full scope of training and on-the-job mentorship for registered Ontario apprentices.

“The OEL is pleased to see that the Group Sponsorship Grant was announced in the 2020 Ontario Budget,” said Stephen Sell, OEL President. “We are buoyed by the opportunity this will provide for electrical contractors to encourage and support apprentices in the high-demand skilled trades and to also help address the skilled trades gap. This new initiative responds directly to the needs of small- and medium-sized contractors across the province and reflects what we have been advocating for some time.

The OEL was equally encouraged to see the Ford government creating a new Skills Development fund providing $30 million over two years to support a blend of operational and capital enhancements for non-college training providers, businesses and associations that train apprentices.

“The OEL membership recognizes the importance of supporting those contractors who train apprentices, which is why the Ford government’s new Group Sponsorship Grant will be valuable support and most welcomed,” Sell added. “We appreciate the fact that through these initiatives, the Ford government has demonstrated that they listened closely to the needs of our industry.”

Source
 

Related Articles


Latest Articles


Changing Scene

  • Toronto Hydro Introduces Opportunity to Fast‑Track EV Charging Projects Across the City

    Toronto Hydro Introduces Opportunity to Fast‑Track EV Charging Projects Across the City

    April 13, 2026 Toronto Hydro is charging ahead with a new pilot program designed to give local electric vehicle (EV) charging providers direct access to 480‑volt power, simplifying grid connections and making it faster and easier to expand public EV fast charging stations across the city. This new pilot is designed to help expedite the Read More…

  • SATCO Celebrates 60 Years of Excellence in Lighting, NUVO Marks 20 Years of Design Innovation

    SATCO Celebrates 60 Years of Excellence in Lighting, NUVO Marks 20 Years of Design Innovation

    April 10, 2026 SATCO proudly announces the celebration of its 60th anniversary, marking six decades of sustained growth, innovation, and service excellence. Concurrently, NUVO, a prominent lighting brand under the SATCO umbrella, celebrates its 20th anniversary, highlighting two decades of cutting-edge design and creative solutions for residential and commercial spaces. Founded in 1966, SATCO has Read More…

  • D.A.D. Sales Welcomes New Team Members

    D.A.D. Sales Welcomes New Team Members

    April 10, 2026 D.A.D. Sales announced the addition of Bradey Cameron as an Application Specialist on the D.A.D. Sales Solutions team, Katherine Dickson as an Account Manager on the D.A.D. Sales team, supporting Northern Alberta, and Wendy Dyble as an Account Manager / Inside Sales on the D.A.D. Customer Service Team. “Bradey brings a strong Read More…

  • Liteline Introduce New Regional Sales Manager for GTA

    Liteline Introduce New Regional Sales Manager for GTA

    April 10, 2026 Liteline announced on LinkedIn that Peter McCumber has joined their team as Regional Sales Manager for the GTA. “We are excited to welcome Peter as Liteline’s Regional Sales Manager-GTA! Peter brings more than two decades of experience in the electrical manufacturing and wholesale industry, where he has established himself as a dynamic Read More…