Useful Links
Business & Career Planning Tools
Employer and Job Seeker Resources
connect2JOBS – Local Labour Market Information & Local Job Board
National Occupational Classification (NOC)
Merit Ontario (Apprenticeship Services)
Step up and Succeed – Employer Resource Hub
Community Hub – EdgeFactor Exploration & Learning Platform
Employment Ontario Services
Employment Services – Employment Services BGHP
Literacy & Basic Skills Network – Quill Network
Business Associations
Industry Associations (By Sector)
Huron Manufacturing Association (HMA)
Excellence In Manufacturing Consortium
Blue Mountain Village Association
Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO)
Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries
Regional Tourism Organization (RT07)
Regional Tourism Organization (RT04)
Chamber of Commerce or BIA
Owen Sound Chamber of Commerce
Kincardine Chamber of Commerce
Entrepreneur or Business Development Organizations
Funding Programs
The Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream offers funding to organizations for innovative projects that address challenges to hiring, training, or retaining workers, including apprentices, to drive Ontario’s economic growth.Training Stream Round 5 applications are now open, and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until October 4, 2024. Interested organizations can apply through Transfer Payment Ontario and send inquiries to skillsdevelopmentfund@ontario.ca.
Regional Development Program (RDP)
The Regional Development Program takes a coordinated approach to supporting business growth in eastern and southwestern Ontario. The program supports eligible small- and medium-sized businesses investing in new equipment and training to expand operations in these regions, and also provides support to municipalities and economic development organizations investing in economic development projects. Eligible applicants may receive financial support and advisory services to help navigate other government programs, such as guidance on compliance approvals, assistance with skills and talent.
Rural Economic Development (RED) Grant
Ontario’s Rural Economic Development (RED) program provides cost-share funding to support activities that create strong rural communities in Ontario, and opens doors to rural economic development through: funding assistance to address barriers to economic development and labour force challenges, better position rural communities to attract or retain investment, and enhance economic growth funding to build community capacity and support for economic development in Ontario’s rural communities investments in rural communities to help diversify and grow local economies – making economic growth more inclusive so rural Ontario continues to share in the province’s economic prosperity
Funding for Southern Ontario. FedDev Ontario is helping to build a green, inclusive and globally competitive southern Ontario by investing in companies to innovate, expand and diversify and supporting organizations to provide business support and services in communities across the region. FedDev Ontario supports businesses and organizations in southern Ontario, from Cornwall in the east to Owen Sound in the west, and from Pembroke in the north to Windsor in the south. Its mandate covers 37 Statistics Canada census divisions.
Municipal Strategies & Resources
Tier 2 Municipalities (Bruce, Grey, Huron, Perth)
Located within Bruce County
Brockton
South Bruce Peninsula
Huron-Kinloss
Arran-Elderslie
South Bruce
Northern Bruce Peninsula
Located within Grey County
Hanover
The Blue Mountains
Chatsworth
Georgian Bluffs
Grey Highlands
Meaford
Southgate
West Grey
Located within Huron County
South Huron
Huron East
Goderich
Central Huron
Bluewater
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh
North Huron
Howick
Morris-Turnberry
Located within Perth County
Perth East
West Perth
Perth South