Transfer of Selected Functions to Skilled Trades Ontario

The ministry will be transferring selected apprenticeship schooling functions to Skilled Trades Ontario (STO), building on the transition of apprenticeship registration, certificate issuance and examination administration functions completed in April 2025. The transfer includes administration of apprenticeship school scheduling, administration of the In-class Enhancement Fund (IEF), delivery of the Apprentice Development Benefit (ADB) and licensing and oversight of the STO digital portal infrastructure.

The ministry will continue providing policy leadership, legislative and regulatory oversight, funding, compliance, financial accountability and broader stewardship responsibilities within Ontario’s apprenticeship system as these client-facing functions transfer to STO.

These changes support the government’s objective of simplifying the apprenticeship journey and improving client service. As client-facing functions that align with STO’s role as the primary point of contact for apprentices and employers, the transition is expected to create a more seamless client experience, provide a single point of contact and improve consistency in service delivery across the province.

Effective November 9th, 2026, STO will assume responsibility for manual school scheduling of client requested non-restricted classes and will begin observing the 2027-2028 IEF negotiations to occurring in fall 2026. In spring 2027, STO will take on contract management and full schooling administration process, including full school scheduling and administration of IEF. Effective winter 2027, STO will assume responsibility for the delivery of ADB, including application processing and related client service functions.

Existing processes and procedures will remain unchanged until programs formally transfer to STO.

The ministry and STO are working closely to support the transition of these functions, including knowledge transfer, operational planning and stakeholder communications. This work is intended to support service continuity for apprentices, employers and Training Delivery Agents (TDAs).

One-window access means clients can access related apprenticeship services through a single service delivery organization rather than navigating multiple organizations or processes. The long-term commitment is for apprentices, journeypersons, employers and other apprenticeship stakeholders to have a simpler, more coordinated experience when accessing apprenticeship services.

Effective spring 2027, TDAs’ main point of contact for the administration of IEF will be STO. For the following 2028-2029 business cycle, negotiations will occur between TDAs and STO.

The ministry will remain the signatory on Transfer Payment Agreements and will continue to issue payments to TDAs.

Yes. For the transfer of manual school scheduling, STO staff may reach out to the TDA directly to verify actual number of seats available prior to scheduling a client to the class. With the initial transfer of manual school scheduling in fall 2026, STO will continue to administer manual school scheduling using existing ministry approaches and processes with no changes in advance of the full program transfer in spring 2027. Further details regarding STO contacts and any updates to the scheduling process will be communicated as they become available.

Additional questions about the transfer should be directed to your ministry regional Service Delivery Manager. As responsibilities transition to STO, TDAs may also be directed to appropriate STO contacts for operational inquiries. Additional guidance on roles, responsibilities and points of contact will be communicated as it becomes available.

The ministry and STO are implementing the transfer through a phased approach that is intended to support continuity of service while operational, organizational and system readiness activities are completed. Maintaining continuity of service throughout implementation is a key planning principle. Apprentices, employers and other apprenticeship stakeholders should continue accessing ministry and STO services through existing operational processes and channels unless advised otherwise.

No. While the overall approach and direction for the transfer has been confirmed, planning and implementation activities are ongoing. The ministry and STO continue to work collaboratively on governance, operational and system readiness, communications and other implementation activities. Maintaining service continuity and minimizing disruption to TDAs is a key planning objective and implementation goal.

As additional information becomes available, the ministry and/or STO will provide further updates to TDAs.

Prior to the spring 2027 transfer, ministry staff will continue to manage the IEF program and support TDAs through the current service delivery model, maintaining existing relationships and ensuring continuity of service. Following the transfer, the ministry and STO will have a coordinated approach to supporting TDAs, including clear processes for addressing TDA and apprenticeship service delivery questions or issues. This approach will incorporate the additional functions transferring to STO and is intended to provide TDAs with consistent support throughout and following the transition.

TDAs are encouraged to review the Question and Answer document and visit the TDA pages of the Employment Ontario Partners Gateway (EOPG) for future updates. Additional questions can be directed to their ministry regional Service Delivery Manager.

Knowledge transfer is an important part of implementation and will occur in stages as operational readiness activities progress. The ministry and STO are working together to identify activities, resources and timing that will support an effective transfer. Knowledge transfer activities will include a period where ministry and STO responsibilities overlap to support continuity of service while responsibilities transfer.

To support STO’s future readiness for the transfer of functions for the IEF, the ministry is initiating a focused IEF negotiation observation initiative during the fall 2026 Training Delivery Agent (TDA) seat planning and negotiations phase. The observation initiative will provide:

• Exposure to a representative selection of IEF 2027-28 seat planning and negotiations with TDAs across the province.
• The opportunity to observe and understand ministry led planning activities, negotiation approaches, key considerations and decision-making processes.
• Key insights to support STO’s future readiness to assume responsibility for IEF transfer of functions in spring 2027, facilitating a smooth transition and consistency for future IEF negotiations.

To maintain the integrity of the planning and negotiation process and ensure clear roles and accountability:

Ministry staff would:

• Remain responsible and accountable for all planning and negotiation activities, discussions, funding decisions, maintaining confidentiality requirements and communications with TDAs throughout the observation initiative
• Determine the nature and extent of STO participation based on operational requirements, TDA preferences and scheduling considerations

STO would:

• Serve in an ‘observer-only’ capacity for negotiation discussions
• Participate in pre-and post-session knowledge transfer discussions with ministry staff (led by the ministry’s STO Transition Team)
• Document their observations (i.e., take notes) for training and process purposes during negotiations
• Make note of any clarifying questions for the ministry and engage ministry staff following the negotiation discussions

STO participants would not:

• Engage or participate in any discussions
• Ask clarifying questions during the negotiation discussions
• Speak on behalf of the ministry
• Present funding positions, recommendations or negotiating parameters
• Commit to funding, seat allocations or other negotiation outcomes
• Engage directly with TDAs on matters related to IEF negotiation strategy or outcomes

No. Participation in the negotiation observation initiative is voluntary and is not a contractual requirement under your Transfer Payment Agreement with the ministry. While participation is at the discretion of each TDA, involvement in the initiative will support knowledge transfer and contribute to a smooth transition of responsibilities.

The ministry and STO identified a selection of TDAs representing the broad range of TDA types, sizes, regional variances and complexities whose negotiations would provide STO with exposure to a range of discussions and approaches that inform seat planning and negotiations across the province.

To further support STO, the observation will be supplemented by ministry-led knowledge transfer training sessions and comprehensive handover materials. The ministry’s objective is to provide STO with a detailed foundation to independently lead future negotiations and provide support to TDAs.

Additional questions about the observation initiative should be directed to your ministry regional Service Delivery Manager.