{"id":"launching-team-canada-strong","slug":"launching-team-canada-strong","title":"Launching Team Canada Strong","chapter":3,"section":"3.4","section_title":"Growing our skilled workforce to build Canada Strong","heading":"Launching Team Canada Strong","in_cost_table":true,"capital":false,"fiscal":{"unit":"CAD millions","basis":"accrual, incremental impact on budgetary balance (expense or forgone revenue)","years":["2026-27","2027-28","2028-29","2029-30","2030-31"],"gross":[null,0.0,1.0,2.0,2.0],"gross_total":5.0,"flags":["none","under_half_million",null,null,null],"adjustments":[],"net":[null,0,1.0,2.0,2.0],"net_total":5.0,"table":{"pdf_page":233,"printed_page":219}},"description":null,"commitments":[{"text":"To help ensure apprentices have income support throughout their training, we are also taking action to align Employment Insurance benefits with recently announced apprenticeship supports: Budget 2026 announces the government's intention to amend the Employment Insurance Act to temporarily increase the minimum number of Employment Insurance regular benefit weeks from 14 to 18 weeks for apprentices who take full-time training, at an estimated cost of $5 million over four years, starting in 2027-28, and $1.1 million in future years.","pdf_page":228,"printed_page":214,"quote":"To help ensure apprentices have income support throughout their training, we are also taking action to align Employment Insurance benefits with recently announced apprenticeship supports: Budget 2026 announces the government's intention to amend the Employment Insurance Act to temporarily increase the minimum number of Employment Insurance regular benefit weeks from 14 to 18 weeks for …"}],"amounts_in_text":["$5 million over four years, starting in 2027-28, and $1.1 million in future years"],"source":{"pdf_page":227,"printed_page":213,"chapter_url":"https://budget.canada.ca/2026/report-rapport/chap3-en.html#a37"},"money_type":"spending","involves_loans":false,"lenses":["trades","training"],"wv_note":"This is the budget's trades program, and most of it lands at small and mid-sized employers. If you can take on an apprentice, the hiring incentive and training top-ups lower the cost of saying yes. The hard part is the paperwork and the schedule; that is the part we help shops systematise.","wv_watch":"Program launch dates and application portals early next year; Red Seal completion bonus applications from November 16, 2026.","key_facts":[{"text":"Goal: add up to 100,000 new Red Seal skilled trades workers by 2031.","pdf_page":227,"printed_page":213},{"text":"Build Canada Apprenticeship Service: employers who hire a first-year apprentice in an eligible Red Seal trade could receive up to $10,000.","pdf_page":227,"printed_page":213},{"text":"A $5,000 completion bonus for apprentices who attain Red Seal certification; applications open November 16, 2026.","pdf_page":227,"printed_page":213},{"text":"Apprenticeship Training Grant: a $400 weekly top-up on top of Employment Insurance during mandatory in-class training.","pdf_page":227,"printed_page":213},{"text":"Team Canada Strong Youth Placements: paid, hands-on trades work experience, expected to reach 100,000 people over five years.","pdf_page":227,"printed_page":213},{"text":"Intends to raise the minimum EI regular benefit weeks from 14 to 18 for apprentices in full-time training.","pdf_page":228,"printed_page":214},{"text":"$2 billion over five years (announced July 2026) for new bilateral agreements to help more people enter the trades and finish training faster.","pdf_page":227,"printed_page":213}],"url":"https://budget2026.warreandvavasour.com/measures/launching-team-canada-strong/","chapter_title":"A more affordable life"}