Minister Hajdu announces actions to grow and protect workers

Press Release

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

February 17, 2026

In a rapidly changing world, we are focusing on what we can control: building a stronger more resilient Canada, and Ontario. Canada’s labour market is experiencing sustained pressure from tariffs, skills shortages, supply chain disruptions and broader economic shifts. In response, the Government is focusing on transforming the economy to one that is stronger, more sustainable, and more independent, built on the solid foundation of strong Canadian industries and bolstered by diverse international trade partners.

Today, during a visit to Unifor Local 444 in Windsor, Ontario, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, Patty Hajdu announced measures to help workers and employers navigate current pressures while preparing to meet the workforce needs of tomorrow.

Workforce Alliances being struck in six priority areas

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the creation of a Workforce Alliance in Advanced Manufacturing, which will bring together governments, industry, labour and training partners to address bottlenecks and catalyse investments.

Minister Hajdu announced today that five additional Workforce Alliances are being created in the following priority sectors, which have a significant impact on aspects of everyday life for Canadians:

Housing and Construction
Transportation and Supply Chains
Energy and Electricity
Mining and Minerals
Care Economy

The Workforce Alliances are unified by one core mission: to identify and address pressing labour market challenges and to coordinate public and private investments in skills development to produce lasting opportunities for Canada’s workers where they are most needed to Build Canada Strong.

The Minister and officials will conclude discussions with employers, unions, educational institutions, industry associations and Indigenous partners in the coming weeks to confirm and announce the leadership and priorities for all six Workforce Alliances. In Windsor, Minister Hajdu met with advanced manufacturing stakeholders in the auto sector to discuss investments in training to meet industry needs.

Worker Retention Grant for Work-Sharing Employers now available

Minister Hajdu also announced that the Government of Canada is now accepting applications for the new Worker Retention Grant for Work-Sharing Employers . A federal government investment of about $102.7 million over two years for the grant builds on the Work-Sharing program, which helps businesses avoid layoffs by letting eligible workers share available work and claim Employment Insurance (EI) for the lost hours.

Employers with active Work-Sharing agreements can now apply for the Grant and use the funds to support their Work-Sharing employees to upskill and adapt to changing labour market needs. The top-up will allow them to maintain their income while training during lost work time at levels closer to their normal wages, up to 70% of their full-time pay.

To make it easier to identify training options, Job Bank, Canada’s national employment service, has created a dedicated section for Work-Sharing employers. It includes a new Training Finder and direct connections to upskilling platforms with information about thousands of courses, including low- or no-cost options.

Alongside the Workforce Alliances and the new grant for Work-Sharing employers, the federal government will provide employment assistance and reskilling supports for up to 66,000 workers across Canada, including for displaced auto workers, with a $570 million investment through labour market agreements with the provinces and territories.

These measures build on previously announced initiatives to help transform strategic Canadian industries. Together, they form an industrial strategy that will build a stronger, more resilient, more independent Canadian economy and ensure workers and industries can seize future opportunities.

Quotes

“Canada’s workforce is strongest when employers and training partners work together. As external pressures continue to affect key sectors, these investments will help empower Canadian workers with the skills they need to adapt. Together, these initiatives will help drive major industrial and economic priorities and deliver tangible results for Canadian workers.”
– The Honorable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

“Canada works best when we work together. This alliance brings industry, labour, and training partners together to remove barriers, support workers, and build a stronger Canada.”
– The Honourable John Zerucelli, Secretary of State (Labour)

“We are very pleased that our dialogue with government leaders has helped ensure workers’ voices are heard within the broader discussions on tariffs and the economy. Maintaining a strong auto manufacturing sector in Windsor and across Canada is vital to supporting our communities and protecting our economy. We also welcome the government’s investment in training and EI supports, as they are essential in securing long-term success.”
– James Stewart, President, Local 444

“Advanced manufacturing is at the heart of building a more productive economy, enabling our manufacturers to take advantage of new business opportunities in Canada and around the world, and ensuring sustainable high-value employment opportunities for Canadian workers. My colleagues, Jean-Pierre Giroux of Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium and Ken Delaney of Canadian Skills Training and Employment Coalition, and I all recognize the need to mobilize our skills and workforce development initiatives across the country, build bridges, and strengthen collaboration quickly, if we are to meet current market challenges and develop the skilled manufacturing labour force Canada needs for the future.”
– Jayson Myers, Chief Executive Officer, Next Generation Manufacturing

Quick facts

On September 5, 2025, the Government of Canada announced a series of new workforce support measures aimed at assisting Canadian workers impacted by tariffs, revitalizing local economies and mitigating the long-term effects of job loss due to tariffs. Echoed in Budget 2025, the Workforce Alliances were announced as part of these measures to address skills gaps in industries facing labour shortages.
The workforce support measures are a proactive response by the Government of Canada to the economic challenges posed by recent tariffs that have directly affected various Canadian industries and their workers.
The priority sectors supported through the Workforce Alliances collectively account for over one-third of Canada’s GDP and employ approximately 8 million people nationwide.
The priority sectors have significant impact on aspects of everyday life for Canadians. For instance:
- Manufacturing accounts for 65% of exports and construction employs over 1.6 million workers.
- Energy produces $199 billion in annual exports.
- Mining produces over 60 minerals and metals essential to national defense.
- In 2022, one in two Canadians aged 15 or older reported providing either unpaid or paid care in the past 12 months for care-dependent adults or children, with 23% providing care for care-dependent adults (20% unpaid) and 31% providing care for children under the age of 15 (28% unpaid).
- The Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE) indicates that the economic value of caregiving work is immense. According to the CCCE, caregivers in Canada spend 5.7 billion hours each year supporting others and are estimated to contribute the equivalent of 4.2 per cent of GDP or $97.1 billion annually to Canada’s economy.
Work-Sharing applications roughly doubled in 2025 relative to the previous year, with more than 2,000 applications. Approximately 80% of all applications received referred to tariffs. Over 1,400 of these tariff-related applications have been approved, helping to prevent approximately 20,000 layoffs and affecting more than 52,000 workers.