Employment and Social Development Canada · Contribution program
CAS - Skilled Trades Awareness & Readiness
The Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness (STAR) program under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy provides funding to eligible organizations to provide Canadians, including equity-deserving groups, with opportunities to build awareness of the trades as good quality careers, to provide opportunities to explore the trades, and provide individuals with the skills and supports they need to pursue a career in the skilled trades.
- Total value
- $104M
- Agreements
- 12
- Aug 2019 to Dec 2022
- Median agreement
- $5.3M
- Typical range
- $2.9M–$7.4M
- the middle half of agreements
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.
See every record for this program on the government’s search. How to apply: look up the program on Employment and Social Development Canada’s website.
Who got it
Organizations with the most funding under this program.
By year
Agreements by the year they started.
| Year | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 | $4.6M |
| 2020 | 2 | $31M |
| 2022 | 9 | $68.8M |
By province
| Province or territory | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 8 | $89.6M |
| British Columbia | 1 | $6M |
| Alberta | 1 | $4.2M |
| New Brunswick | 1 | $3.1M |
| Manitoba | 1 | $1.4M |
By type of recipient
As the department classified the recipient.
| Recipient type | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Not-for-profit organizations and charities | 7 | $78.2M |
| Indigenous recipients | 2 | $14.1M |
| For-profit organizations | 1 | $6.1M |
| Academia | 1 | $4.6M |
| Government | 1 | $1.4M |
Latest agreements
| Start | Recipient | What for | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2022 | Skills/Competences Canada | Engaging youth in the skilled trades through competitions and career explorationContribution | $29,126,560 |
| Apr 2022 | Young Women's Christian Association of Greater Toronto | STAR 4-Women (Careers, Opportunities, Readiness, Engagement)Contribution | $1,569,424 |
| Apr 2022 | British Columbia Construction Association | Building Builders - A Mentorship Program for BC's Construction IndustryContribution | $6,041,880 |
| Apr 2022 | Apprenticeship Manitoba | Manitoba Career in Trades Awareness ProgramContribution | $1,418,000 |
| Mar 2022 | Temiskaming Native Women's Support Group | Pathways to Resilience: Intro to Emerging and Established Skilled Trades for Indigenous WomenContribution | $11,000,000 |
| Mar 2022 | Joint Economic Development Initiative Inc. | Indigenous Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Project (ISTAR)Contribution | $3,129,453 |
| Feb 2022 | Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium of Canada | Skilled Trades for Youth in Advanced ManufacturingContribution | $6,232,781 |
| Feb 2022 | The Society for Selections: A Career Support Services | Get Ready in Trades (GRiT)Contribution | $4,211,844 |
| Jan 2022 | 9900748 Canada Inc. | Trades & Diversity Training ProgramContribution | $6,114,323 |
| Nov 2020 | (A.C.C.E.S.) Accessible Community Counselling and Employment Services | Contribution | $2,243,454 |
| Oct 2020 | Skills/Compétences Canada Corporation | Youth Competing to Win in the Skilled Trades (Regional)Contribution | $28,747,273 |
| Aug 2019 | The Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning | Level Up: Build a career in the Skilled TradesContribution | $4,567,350 |