Expanding Access to Skilled Trades Certification in Northern Ontario

New Kenora exam testing centre will help apprentices get certified closer to home and enter the workforce faster

The Ontario government is expanding access to careers in the skilled trades in Northwestern Ontario by opening a local apprenticeship exam testing centre in Kenora. Through a new partnership with Seven Generations Education Institute and Skilled Trades Ontario, apprentices will be able to write their certification exams closer to home, helping more apprentices complete their training faster and build good-paying, in-demand careers in the North.

The new Kenora examination centre, facilitated by Skilled Trades Ontario, will help remove longstanding barriers for apprentices who previously had to travel to Thunder Bay, approximately five hours away, to write their exams, facing hundreds in costs and hours of delay to certification. By expanding local access to exams, Ontario is delivering on its plan to protect Ontario workers by helping more tradespeople complete their training faster, enter the workforce sooner and build long-term, in-demand careers in the communities that need them most.

"Northern Ontario powers our province and by localizing certification centres across Ontario, we're tearing down barriers in the North that have kept talented people out of the trades for too long," said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. "When the path to certification is shorter, more Ontarians get in faster, communities get the skilled workers they need and Northern Ontario gets the workforce it deserves."

The centre builds on Ontario’s broader efforts to modernize and strengthen apprenticeship delivery. Since April 2025, Skilled Trades Ontario has taken on the expanded responsibility of delivering apprenticeship exams directly at training institutions provincewide for apprentices completing their final level of in-school training. Over the past year, more than 5,400 final-level exams have been administered across Ontario, a 386 per cent increase since STO assumed responsibility.

“We appreciate the support of Premier Ford and Minister Piccini in expanding access to apprenticeship certification across Ontario,” said Candice White, CEO & Registrar, Skilled Trades Ontario. “The opening of a local exam centre in Kenora is an important step in reducing barriers for apprentices, particularly in Northern communities where travel has long been a challenge. Skilled Trades Ontario is continuing to expand exam delivery and strengthen our regional presence, helping apprentices complete their certification closer to home and supporting workforce development across the province.”

Improving access and streamlining pathways to the skilled trades in Northwestern Ontario is part of the government’s ongoing plan to protect Ontario by building a highly skilled workforce ready to meet growing demand and keep Ontario resilient into the future. Through its $236 billion plan to build, the government is delivering critical infrastructure projects that communities rely on while connecting more people to stable, good-paying careers.

Quick Facts

• Nearly 1.3 million people are working in skilled trades-related occupations in Ontario.
• Over the next decade, Northern Ontario is expected to need over 21,500 workers to fill job openings in skilled trades-related occupations.
• Supported by an investment of $5.5 million, the Tools Grant program offers non-repayable grants (typically up to $1,000, depending on the trade) that help eligible apprentices cover the cost of tools and equipment needed to start and progress in their careers.
• Backed by $20.0 million in provincial investment, the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) gives high school students the opportunity to explore careers in the skilled trades and begin apprenticeship training while completing their diploma.
• Training investment (construction and urban planning): Our government is investing $75 million to train up to 7,800 additional students for in-demand careers in construction and urban planning, helping address labour shortages and support Ontario’s growing communities.
• Supported by an investment of $146.7 million, the In-Class Enhancement Fund (IEF) supports training delivery agents across Ontario to deliver the in-class portion of apprenticeship training, ensuring apprentices receive high-quality instruction and can progress toward certification with planned new class starts for over 37,000 participants.
• The Tools Grant and In-Class Enhancement Fund programs are funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.