Ontario funds a $588,000 Hamilton Tariff Response Team and training for 75 steel and manufacturing workers
Two provincial announcements this month put money into Hamilton's tariff response: more than $390,000 toward a City-run team for affected businesses, and more than $203,000 for training delivered by Learning Connections Hamilton.
The details
The Hamilton Tariff Response Team
On October 20, 2026, the Government of Ontario announced an investment of more than $390,000 in the City of Hamilton through its Trade-Impacted Communities Program. The money supports the launch of the Hamilton Tariff Response Team, which the Province describes as a $588,000 strategic initiative to help tariff-affected businesses, particularly in the steel and manufacturing sectors, diversify supply chains, protect jobs and improve their resilience. The announcement does not say where the rest of the $588,000 comes from.
The Province says the City will administer the team through two streams. The first offers operational and administrative support so affected businesses can move into new markets, reconfigure supply chains and plan to keep and grow jobs. The second expands the City's data resources, giving businesses updated statistics and analysis, drawing on regional consultations and data bought from statistical agencies.
Training for steel and manufacturing workers
An earlier announcement, on October 6, said Ontario and Canada are investing more than $203,000 through the Canada-Ontario Workforce Tariff Response to help 75 steel and manufacturing workers and jobseekers in the Hamilton area. Ontario will deliver the funding through Skills Advance Ontario; Learning Connections Hamilton will run it through its Skill Pathways for Work project. The Province says participants will get skills assessments, individual training plans, digital skills upgrading, training referrals, case management and help getting certifications and short-term training required for employment.
- More than $390,000 from the Trade-Impacted Communities Program to the City, for an initiative the Province puts at $588,000
- More than $203,000 through the Canada-Ontario Workforce Tariff Response for 75 workers and jobseekers, delivered by Learning Connections Hamilton
- $228.8 million Canada-Ontario Workforce Tariff Response, which the Province says will expand supports for up to 27,000 workers
Help available now
- POWER Centre, 1031 Barton Street East, 905-548-9197: the Province says the United Steelworkers Action Centre, open since August 2007, was converted to a POWER Centre on March 23, 2026 to give workers affected by layoffs, closures and downsizing employment assessments, job-search support, training opportunities and links to community services.
- Better Jobs Ontario: the Province says eligible laid-off workers can receive up to $35,000 in financial support for skills training programs of up to two years.
- Free employment services for workers affected by layoffs and economic disruption, covering job searches, career planning and skills development, according to the Province.