B.C. Employer Training Grant (ETG) FAQs

The Employer Training Grant covers eligible training costs up to $10,000 per trainee, and up to $300,000 in total, in one fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).

Employers must contribute at least one-fifth of eligible training costs. The grant covers the remaining costs, up to $10,000 per trainee. However, Grant Heroes has access to private funding that can cover the employer contributions for small employers.

ETG funding cannot be used for training costs already covered by another funding source (e.g., government grant or bursary), but you may apply to the ETG to cover any costs not covered by another funding source.

Eligible applicants for the B.C. Employer Training Grant include licensed businesses, non-profit organizations, municipalities, regional districts, Indigenous governments, and unions applying on behalf of workers they represent. All employers must meet specific criteria, including making required cash contributions, employing the trainee, operating in British Columbia, ensuring training is job-related, complying with health and safety laws, and maintaining appropriate insurance coverage. Specific requirements can be found on the Ministry of Colleges and Universities website.

Provincial, federal, and territorial government employers—including Crown corporations and agencies, hospitals, health authorities, and public post-secondary institutions—are not eligible for funding. For a full list of ineligible provincial employers, refer to the B.C. ministries and organizations list.

Employers may apply for the B.C. Employer Training Grant multiple times if they continue to meet eligibility criteria. However, funding is limited, and each application is assessed individually.

Applications are evaluated based on four priorities: first-time applicants, small businesses, applicants from regions that have challenges hiring skilled workers, and applicants from industries that have challenges hiring skilled workers. Applicants who fit all four priority factors are assessed first. Following them, applicants who fit three of the four factors are assessed, and so on.

Yes. Training must lead to improved job security or a better job for a current employee, or result in employment for an unemployed individual. A “better job” may involve increased pay, a promotion or advancement to a new position, a shift from part-time to full-time work, or a transition from temporary, casual, or seasonal employment to permanent employment.

While these criteria are not required to qualify for ETG funding, an employer will be a great fit for the program if they: are passionate about upskilling their workforce, have fewer than 100 employees, and have 1 or more cohorts of 15-25 trainees.

The following types of training are not eligible: training toward diploma or degree programs, training needed to maintain current skills/certification, training that has already been funded for the same participant, training that is funded for the participant at the same time by another federal or provincial program. Additionally, ETG does not fund consulting, coaching, mentorships, trade shows, annual meetings, networking, seminars, conferences, or paid practicums.

Yes. Grant Heroes partners with training providers offering a variety of tailored courses. Some top courses include Soft Skills and Leadership, Onboarding Best Practices, Customer Service Excellence, Sales Strategies and Implementation, and Using AI to Enhance Productivity. The preferred trainers we work with offer flexible courses with options for in-person and online sessions that fit seamlessly into your schedule.