Many industries in Western Canada face a big challenge: not enough skilled workers and training programs that don’t match real job needs. Sector-based partnerships help solve this by bringing employers, training providers, and industry groups together to apply for workforce funding as a team. Programs like the Sector Labour Market Partnerships Program make sure training is shaped by what employers actually need, not by guesswork.
Sector-based partnerships bring different groups together. Instead of one business applying alone, an industry group leads a project that helps an entire sector or region.
Across Western Canada, these partnerships usually include:
The main goal is to find shared problems, like labour shortages, and build solutions together. This can mean new training programs, labour market research, or career pathways that fit the sector’s needs.
In British Columbia, the Sector Labour Market Partnerships Program funds these types of projects. WorkBC delivers this program.
Key program facts:
Individual businesses usually do not apply alone. Instead, they join a partnership led by a sector organization. This approach helps smaller employers access training support they could not get on their own.
Tools like GrantHub’s eligibility matcher can help you see which partnership-based workforce programs are available in your province and sector.
Manitoba uses a similar approach with the Sector Council Program, which focuses on planning and training for whole sectors.
Key program facts:
Employers benefit by helping set training priorities and sending their workers to programs designed for real business needs, not just generic courses.
Governments support sector-based partnerships because they lower risk and lead to better results.
These models:
For businesses, this means training dollars go further and are more likely to result in new hires, promotions, and higher productivity.
Thinking individual businesses can apply directly
Most sector-based programs need a lead organization. If you apply by yourself, your application probably won’t be eligible.
Waiting until training is already designed
Funders want employers to help shape the project from the start. Training that is already packaged, with no employer input, is a warning sign.
Focusing only on one company’s benefits
Projects that help just one business often do not get approved. Funding decisions look for benefits to an entire industry or region.
Underestimating reporting requirements
Partnership grants usually need data on labour markets, tracking of project results, and records showing employer participation.
Q: What is a sector-based partnership in workforce funding?
A sector-based partnership is when industry groups, employers, and training providers work together to solve shared labour problems. Funding supports projects that help an entire sector, not just one business.
Q: Can small businesses benefit from the Sector Labour Market Partnerships Program?
Yes. Small businesses usually join through an industry association or employer group that leads the application. This lets them get training and planning support without handling the grant themselves.
Q: What types of costs are usually covered?
Eligible costs often include training delivery, curriculum development, labour market research, and project coordination. Capital costs and unrelated operating expenses are usually not covered.
Q: Is the funding repayable?
No. Both the Sector Labour Market Partnerships Program and Manitoba’s Sector Council Program provide non-repayable funding for eligible activities.
Q: Do these programs support inclusive hiring?
Yes. Programs often give priority to projects that include underrepresented groups, such as Indigenous peoples, youth, and newcomers to Canada.
GrantHub tracks hundreds of active workforce and training grant programs across Canada, so you can find ones that match your industry and province.
If your business is facing hiring or skills gaps, find out who represents your sector and how you can get involved in a partnership-led project. Sector-based partnerships are one of the most reliable ways to access workforce funding in Western Canada. GrantHub makes it easier to spot active programs and sector-led opportunities that fit your business needs, so you can focus on training workers instead of paperwork.
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