Ontario Job Grant (OJG)

COJG is gone; the Ontario Job Grant (OJG) replaced it. The Canada-Ontario Job Grant was wound down on March 31, 2026 after the November 2025 pause, and the redesigned Ontario Job Grant opened for applications on May 4, 2026. If you're an Ontario employer looking to fund employee training, OJG is the live program: up to $10,000 per trainee, and up to $15,000 with no employer contribution when you train and hire someone who was unemployed.

Common questions

What happened to COJG?

COJG was paused for ministerial review in November 2025 and formally wound down on March 31, 2026. It did not come back under the old name. The Ontario Job Grant (OJG) launched May 4, 2026 as the redesigned successor, with application guidelines effective May 1, 2026.

How much does OJG cover?

Employers with fewer than 100 employees get 5/6 of eligible training costs up to $10,000 per trainee; larger employers get 1/2 up to $10,000. Training a new hire who was previously unemployed qualifies for up to $15,000 per trainee with no minimum employer contribution. Training must be delivered by an eligible third-party trainer.

How do I apply for OJG?

Applications go through the OJG Online Application Portal (linked from the ontario.ca OJG page) and intake is open year-round. Applications are typically reviewed within three to five weeks. For help with an application in progress, including anything left over from COJG, call Employment Ontario at 1-800-387-5656.

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What is Ontario Job Grant (OJG)?

Ontario Job Grant (OJG) is delivered by Ontario MLITSD as a grant. Funding is typically up to $10,000/trainee ($15,000 for previously unemployed new hires). This page covers eligibility, intake status, and what an application actually requires.

At a glance

Funding amount	Up to $10,000/trainee ($15,000 for previously unemployed new hires)
Cost share	Employers under 100 staff: gov't covers up to 5/6 of costs. 100+ staff: up to 50%. No employer contribution for unemployed new hires.
Level	Provincial
Program type	Grant
Delivered by	Ontario MLITSD
Available in	ON
Intake status	Open - Rolling
Last verified	2026-06-09

Who qualifies

Eligible industries: All industries
Employee count: min 1
Eligible activities: Third-party training for new and existing employees; skills upgrading; certification

Watch out for

Must use third-party training provider; no in-house training; employees must be citizens/PR

Deadlines & how to apply

Redesigned successor to the legacy COJG, launched May 4, 2026 as the Ontario Job Grant. Applications accepted year-round online and assessed on an ongoing basis. Up to $10,000 per trainee, or up to $15,000 with no employer contribution when training previously unemployed new hires. Training must be delivered by an approved third-party provider.

View official program page →

How NorthGrants helps with Ontario Job Grant (OJG)

Most business owners read about Ontario Job Grant (OJG), see the funding amount, and stop. The hard part isn't finding the grant. It's building an application that actually wins.

NorthGrants builds the full application framework for you: a tailored project narrative aligned to this program's evaluation criteria, a budget structure that maps to eligible costs, and the supporting documentation checklist. You review it, refine the parts only you can write, and submit.