This month marks the first anniversary of our government’s launch of the Apprenticeship Completion Grant. As the summer winds down, and Members of Parliament prepare to return to Ottawa, I would like to update Vegreville-Wainwright residents on this highly successful funding.

The Apprenticeship Completion Grant (ACG) is a $2,000 taxable cash grant, offered to apprentices who complete their apprenticeship training and obtain a provincial Certificate of Qualification in a designated Red Seal trade. Our government introduced the ACG as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

The ACG complements the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant, which our government introduced in 2007. This is a taxable cash grant of $1,000 per year for registered apprentices who successfully complete the first and/or second year or level in a designated Red Seal trade program. Through these combined grants, apprentices who complete their training and become certified journeypersons are eligible to receive up to $4,000 in funding.

Through these grants, our government has been investing in skills training for Canadians, ensuring that Canada will have a skilled, educated and mobile workforce to fill jobs in the skilled labour market. We have remained committed to investing in Canadian workers and businesses in order to continue building Canada’s economic strength, and preparing it for the future.

To date, over 27,000 Apprenticeship Completion Grants have been awarded, along with over 162,000 Apprenticeship Incentive Grants. I am also pleased to announce that over 55,000 of these grants have been awarded to Albertans, with many bring awarded right here in Vegreville-Wainwright. In addition, many of these grants were awarded through Lakeland College, which is located in the constituency.

I encourage any interested constituents who are apprenticed in Red Seal trades to apply for this funding. For information on how to apply, please call toll free: 1-866-742-3644, or visit servicecanada.gc.ca/apprenticeship.