Grants you can apply for · Federal program · Grant
Worker Retention Grant for Work-Sharing Employers
Government of Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada
Taking applications?
Closes 31 Dec 2027 · in 441 days
The official page says: “Application period: February 16, 2026, to December 31, 2027, at 3 pm EST”
Read from the official page on October 14, 2026. Confirm the deadline on the official page before you apply.
- Amount
- Not stated on the page
- Cost share
- Not stated on the page
- Who can apply
- Businesses
- Where
- Anywhere in Canada
What it is
The Worker Retention Grant (WRG) is designed to enable employers with an approved and implemented Work-Sharing agreement to provide additional income support for their Employment Insurance (EI) eligible employees. This grant helps maintain employees’ income by keeping their earnings closer to their normal wages throughout the duration of the Work-Sharing agreement.
More than $5,000,000. Accepting applications until December 31, 2026 at 3:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
Description from ESDC funding programs, the funder’s own list of programs. The Government of Canada’s Business Benefits Finder (list of July 17, 2025) doesn’t include it.
What applicants actually got
From the federal records of every agreement signed under this program.
- Agreements, last 12 months
- 11
- starting Oct 2025 or later
- Typical award
- $6,870–$25K
- the middle half, since Oct 2023
- Median award
- $17K
- 11 agreements since Oct 2023
- All agreements
- 11
- $304K
Federal grants and contributions, agreements starting Jan 2006 to Oct 2026, each counted once at its latest amended value. Source: Treasury Board proactive disclosure, published October 11, 2026. Filed as “Worker Retention Grant” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 11).
Who got it
Organizations with the most funding under this program, all years.
| Recipient | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Bluewrist Inc. | 1 | $93K |
| Peinture Industrielle DJ inc. | 1 | $30K |
| Arch-Tech Design Group Inc. | 1 | $20K |
| Investatech Inc. | 1 | $17K |
| Uni-Tech Windows Mfrs Inc | 1 | $8,408 |
| Fractal Communications Ltd. | 1 | $8,214 |
| Rain Digital Communications Inc. | 1 | $5,525 |
| Decoform Architect Inc. | 1 | $4,768 |
| Brighton Custom Rubber MFG. Ltd. | 1 | $4,450 |
Plus 2 agreements ($112K) to individuals, sole proprietors and recipients this site does not name. They count in every total above. Why
Who got it in your province
Open a province to see the organizations there with the most funding under this program, all years.
Ontario10 agreements · $273K
| Recipient | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Bluewrist Inc. | 1 | $93K |
| Arch-Tech Design Group Inc. | 1 | $20K |
| Investatech Inc. | 1 | $17K |
| Uni-Tech Windows Mfrs Inc | 1 | $8,408 |
| Fractal Communications Ltd. | 1 | $8,214 |
| Rain Digital Communications Inc. | 1 | $5,525 |
| Decoform Architect Inc. | 1 | $4,768 |
| Brighton Custom Rubber MFG. Ltd. | 1 | $4,450 |
Quebec1 agreement · $30K
| Recipient | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Peinture Industrielle DJ inc. | 1 | $30K |
Latest agreements
| Start | Recipient | What for | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peinture Industrielle DJ inc.Formation excellence opérationnelle · Grant · Jun 2026 | Formation excellence opérationnelleGrant | $30,317 | |
| Fractal Communications Ltd.Fractal Workforce Resilience: Worker Retention Grant · Grant · Jun 2026 | Fractal Workforce Resilience: Worker Retention GrantGrant | $8,214 | |
| Decoform Architect Inc.Employee Skills Development and Retention Initiative · Grant · Jun 2026 | Employee Skills Development and Retention InitiativeGrant | $4,768 | |
| Arch-Tech Design Group Inc.Work Sharing Employee Training & Retention Program - Arch-Tech Design Group Inc. · Grant · Jun 2026 | Work Sharing Employee Training & Retention Program - Arch-Tech Design Group Inc.Grant | $19,667 | |
| Uni-Tech Windows Mfrs IncGrant · May 2026 | Grant | $8,408 | |
| Brighton Custom Rubber MFG. Ltd.Worker Retention Grant One · Grant · May 2026 | Worker Retention Grant OneGrant | $4,450 | |
| Rain Digital Communications Inc.Work Sharing for Rain Digital Communications Inc. · Grant · May 2026 | Work Sharing for Rain Digital Communications Inc.Grant | $5,525 | |
| Investatech Inc.Worker Retention and Skills Development Plan for Work-Sharing Employees · Grant · May 2026 | Worker Retention and Skills Development Plan for Work-Sharing EmployeesGrant | $17,072 | |
| Bluewrist Inc.Grant · May 2026 | Grant | $92,859 |
By year
Agreements by the year they started.
* 2026 so far: agreements starting by Oct 2026. Departments publish each quarter after it ends, so the latest months fill in later.
Show the numbers
| Year | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 11 | $304K |
The full record: Worker Retention Grant.
More programs: all provinces.