There are a number of grants, tax credits and funding programs that subsidize the cost of your hire, which may help to offset your costs.

Below are two key funding opportunities on which many employers rely

ONTARIO CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION TAX CREDIT

A key financial benefit to companies that hire a co-op student is the Co-operative Education Tax Credit (CETC). Ontario businesses that hire students enrolled in a post-secondary co-operative education program are eligible for the tax credit. The tax credit is based on salaries and wages paid to a student during a co-operative education work term. Corporations can claim 25 per cent of eligible expenditures (30 per cent for small businesses). The maximum credit for each work placement is $3,000. 

Durham College’s Experiential Learning Hub will provide employers with a letter of certification to use in the CETC application. 

FEDERAL STUDENT WORK PLACEMENT PROGRAM (SWPP)

SWPP gives post-secondary students across Canada paid work experience related to their field of study.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) works with Employer Delivery Partners. Employer Delivery Partners are a group of recognized associations and organizations that represent the interests of employers in industries. The ESDC works with businesses and post-secondary education institutions to:

• provide wage subsidies to employers that offer quality student work placements; and
• create partnerships with colleges, universities, polytechnics and CEGEPs to recruit students for these placements.
• Student work placement activities can include, but is not limited to: mentorship programs, co-op placements, practicums and applied research projects.

Student Program Eligibility

Students must be:

• Registered as a domestic student in a recognized post-secondary institution
• Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
• Legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations. International students are not eligible
• Undertaking a placement that is recognized as work-integrated learning in connection with a course, degree, certificate, diploma, or other recognized program offered by the institution. The placement can be required or optional, for credit or not for credit.
• In a full or part-time program from any program of study 

If you will be pursuing and/or will be reliant on receiving SWPP funding, we strongly encourage you to note this in your job posting so that only Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or convention refugees know to apply.