Program directory · Employment and Social Development Canada
Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy
- Department
- Employment and Social Development Canada
- Program code
- BGO29 (HRSD)
- Core responsibility
- Learning, Skills Development and Employment
- In Departmental Plans
- 2023-24 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
The Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy (CAS) provides funding to individuals and organizations to: promote the skilled trades as a good career option; help Canadians explore, prepare for, participate and succeed in apprenticeship. It helps employers and unions to participate in apprenticeship, and funds development of innovative tools and approaches to better prepare pre-apprentices, apprentices and journeypersons – including those from equity-deserving groups – for the jobs of tomorrow.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2022-23. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprenticeship Grants | Earlier program (name match, low confidence) | 2018-19 – 2024-25 | $418M |
| Apprenticeship Service | Earlier program (name match, low confidence) | 2021-22 – 2024-25 | $193M |
| Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy | This program | 2022-23 – 2028-29 | $435M |
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Employees (FTEs) 112, against 0 in 2022-23 (—). | FTEs (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Appears to combine earlier programs: Apprenticeship Grants; Apprenticeship Service | Canada Spends name match across plans (an inference) |
| 2023-24 | Spending $227M, against $30.9M in 2022-23 (+635%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2025-26 | Planned employees (FTEs) 148, against 122 in 2024-25 (+21%). | FTEs (GC InfoBase) |
| 2025-26 | Indicators dropped: Number of apprenticeship incentive grants issued based on attainment of outcome | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2025-26 | Planned spending $244M, against $177M in 2024-25 (+38%). | Latest Departmental Plan |
| 2027-28 | Planned spending $145M, against $195M in 2026-27 (−26%). | Latest Departmental Plan |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | ≥ 38,500 | 2024 | 41,697 | Met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 28,295 | 2025 | 31,885 | Met |
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | ≥ 3,200 | 2024 | 3,315 | Met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 3,700 | 2025 | 2,132 The target of 3,700 was not met due to: • Incomplete data; as of the end of July 2025, we received questionnaire responses from 26 out of 31 projects (including one large project), therefore our data is incomplete for this target; and • The target was based on past results for projects that had a heavier focus on exploration and awareness activities. Current projects have a heavier focus on train… | Not met |
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | ≥ 81,700 | 2024 | 61,207 The variance is attributable to the program’s overall take up rate. Eligible apprentices may not be applying for the grants to which they are entitled, or not providing the necessary documentation to complete the application process. | Not met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 49,800 | 2025 | 43,430 Program uptake was less than expected. Eligible apprentices may not be applying for the grants to which they are entitled or not providing the necessary documentation to complete the application process. | Not met |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 28,445 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 3,200 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
No targets with a later due date.
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | — | $30.9M |
| 2023-24 | $402M | $227M |
| 2024-25 | $209M | $177M |
| 2025-26 | $244M | — |
| 2026-27 | $195M | — |
| 2027-28 | $145M* | — |
| 2028-29 | $124M* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | — | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 129 | 112 |
| 2024-25 | 136 | 122 |
| 2025-26 | 148 | — |
| 2026-27 | 122 | — |
| 2027-28 | 112* | — |
| 2028-29 | 95* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 plan | $402,048,606 | $187,082,544 | $187,193,444 | |||
| 2024-25 plan | $209,103,055 | $209,678,709 | $152,456,128 | |||
| 2025-26 plan | $243,508,535 | $152,222,423 | $145,258,908 | |||
| 2026-27 plan | $195,102,636 | $144,935,209 | $123,751,272 | |||
| Actual | $226,981,537 | $176,877,992 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
