NSAA Administering New Canadian Apprenticeship Service for Atlantic Provinces

September 1, 2022

The Canadian Apprenticeship Service (CAS) is a new Federal initiative where Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with 499 or less employees may be eligible to receive funding for hiring new, first-year apprentices in eligible Red Seal trades in the construction and industrial/manufacturing sectors. The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency is administering the program for the four Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador).

CAS will enable further consistency in the apprenticeship systems across the Atlantic Region building on the rapid growth of the skilled trades sector. Additional supports will be provided to participating employers to create safe, healthy, and inclusive workplaces.

Financial Incentive

A financial incentive in the amount of $5,000 will be provided to eligible employers when they hire new first-year apprentices in one or more of the 39 construction and/or manufacturing Red Seal trades. The incentive is a one-time payment per new first-year apprentice. Employers do not need to apply for funding; eligibility will be assessed upon completion of an approved apprenticeship agreement

An additional $5,000 will be issued if the apprentice voluntarily attests to being from at least one of the following equity-deserving groups. The apprentice is encouraged to identify all that are applicable:

• Women,
• Indigenous peoples,
• Newcomers,
• Persons with disabilities,
• Visible minorities, and
• 2SLGBTQ+

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.

Construction and Manufacturing Red Seal trades

Nova Scotia’s Apprenticeship START program

The CAS program complements Nova Scotia’s Apprenticeship START program, which also provides employer incentives for hiring and progressing apprentices, including added incentives for hiring individuals from under-represented groups. Employers in Nova Scotia are eligible for blended funding through both programs. The CAS program in Nova Scotia will be branded as Apprenticeship START Plus.

For questions, email Apprenticeshipstart@novascotia.ca

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