Ontario Seafarers Project Launches to Tackle Marine Labour Shortages and Help Job Seekers Set Sail
Ottawa, August 18th, 2026 — The Canadian Marine Careers Foundation (CMCF) is pleased to announce that it has received $987,376 for the second year of its Shoring Up Ontario’s Marine Sector program, a major workforce development initiative designed to help job seekers and existing mariners in Ontario build rewarding marine careers, while helping fill critical labour gaps on domestic cargo and passenger vessels.
This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Skills Development Fund.
The funding was part of a broader announcement today in Ottawa by David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, along with Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security.
This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Skills Development Fund.
The funding was part of a broader announcement today in Ottawa by David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, along with Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security.
This province-wide collaboration between the CMCF and Georgian College's Centre for Marine Training and Research will help marine employers build capacity and access a diverse labour pool, combating labour shortages and supporting Ontario's Marine Transportation Strategy. This project will train 36 Ontarians for well-paying seafarer positions onboard Great Lakes-St. Lawrence domestic vessels, along with upskilling up to 60 existing seafarers. The program will be marketed across the province through social media advertising and direct engagement with high schools, employment and community organizations, increasing awareness of the dynamic and rewarding careers offered by the marine sector.
The Entry-Level Seafarer program offers training for 36 unemployed or underemployed adults in Ontario, covering tuition, PPE, travel, accommodations, training stipends, and additional supports for eligible participants. The program, provided by Georgian’s Centre for Marine Training and Research (CMTR), will train students in emergency duties, safety, first aid, proficiency in survival crafts, and vessel security, along with Basic Seamanship skills, leaving graduates job-ready for opportunities as entry-level deckhands aboard vessels including ferries, tugboats, cargo ships, tankers among others. This end-to-end workforce solution will also connect graduates with employers, unions, and other labour market organizations after their training, ensuring they are set up to succeed in the marine labour market.
“Ontario’s marine sector is facing a critical shortage of skilled workers, creating an urgent need to connect jobseekers across the province with careers in the industry,” says Julia Fields, Executive Director of the Canadian Marine Careers Foundation. “By investing in a skilled, future-ready workforce, the Ontario government is helping address labour-market gaps and contributing to a stronger marine sector and the province's continued economic growth.”
In addition to supporting new seafarers, the project includes upskilling cohorts for current mariners to further their qualifications and expand their career opportunities. This dual focus helps strengthen the entire workforce pipeline and ensure a more resilient marine sector.
The Canadian Seafarers Pathway Study, released in 2025 by the CMCF, found that over 8,300 seafarers will be needed across the country within the next five years — more than 30% of the current workforce. More than $9.6 billion in economic activity in Ontario depends on marine transportation that delivers raw materials, agricultural exports, and finished products for the province’s manufacturing, farming, food production, construction, mining, and energy sectors. Ontario’s communities and tourism businesses are also reliant on the province’s many ferries and passenger vessels that are in need of qualified seafarers.
The Entry-Level Seafarer program offers training for 36 unemployed or underemployed adults in Ontario, covering tuition, PPE, travel, accommodations, training stipends, and additional supports for eligible participants. The program, provided by Georgian’s Centre for Marine Training and Research (CMTR), will train students in emergency duties, safety, first aid, proficiency in survival crafts, and vessel security, along with Basic Seamanship skills, leaving graduates job-ready for opportunities as entry-level deckhands aboard vessels including ferries, tugboats, cargo ships, tankers among others. This end-to-end workforce solution will also connect graduates with employers, unions, and other labour market organizations after their training, ensuring they are set up to succeed in the marine labour market.
“Ontario’s marine sector is facing a critical shortage of skilled workers, creating an urgent need to connect jobseekers across the province with careers in the industry,” says Julia Fields, Executive Director of the Canadian Marine Careers Foundation. “By investing in a skilled, future-ready workforce, the Ontario government is helping address labour-market gaps and contributing to a stronger marine sector and the province's continued economic growth.”
In addition to supporting new seafarers, the project includes upskilling cohorts for current mariners to further their qualifications and expand their career opportunities. This dual focus helps strengthen the entire workforce pipeline and ensure a more resilient marine sector.
The Canadian Seafarers Pathway Study, released in 2025 by the CMCF, found that over 8,300 seafarers will be needed across the country within the next five years — more than 30% of the current workforce. More than $9.6 billion in economic activity in Ontario depends on marine transportation that delivers raw materials, agricultural exports, and finished products for the province’s manufacturing, farming, food production, construction, mining, and energy sectors. Ontario’s communities and tourism businesses are also reliant on the province’s many ferries and passenger vessels that are in need of qualified seafarers.
Quotes:
“For more than 50 years, Georgian College has worked alongside commercial shippers, the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy to build the skilled workforce Canada’s marine sector depends on, while upskilling and recertifying active mariners to maintain the highest standards of safety and performance. Today, our Centre for Marine Training and Research in Owen Sound is Ontario’s centre of excellence for marine education and research, built on deep industry partnerships and a shared commitment to workforce development, innovation and sector advancement. We are proud to build on that legacy by creating pathways to rewarding careers and helping ensure Ontario has the skilled marine workforce it needs for the future.”
- Kevin Weaver, President and CEO, Georgian College
“The importance of the seafaring workforce to the Canadian economy cannot be understated and the Seafarers’ International Union of Canada are grateful that the Federal Government and the Government of Ontario are recognizing the importance of increasing training opportunities and support for workers in this critical industry. We must all work together to ensure the long-term stability of the marine sector, which benefits Canadian communities from Coast to Coast to Coast.”
- Chris Given, President, Seafarers’ International Union of Canada
“The Ontario Marine Council is pleased to support this vital workforce development initiative, which directly advances one of the key pillars of our Ontario Marine Strategy - the training and development of skilled seafarers. Ontario's marine sector contributes significantly to our provincial economy, and ensuring we have a robust pipeline of qualified mariners is essential for the continued prosperity of both our industry and the province. This targeted training program represents exactly the kind of strategic investment needed to address our sector's labour challenges while creating meaningful career pathways for Ontarians.”
- Hannah Bowlby, Chair, Ontario Marine Council (OMC)
About the Canadian Marine Careers Foundation
The Canadian Marine Careers Foundation (CMCF) is a national non-profit working with over 60 industry, labour, education, and government partners to build a diverse and future-ready workforce for Canada’s marine sector. Through its Imagine Marine campaign, the CMCF promotes career opportunities both onboard vessels and at shore by engaging youth, jobseekers, and equity-deserving groups. The CMCF develops unified and sector coordinated approaches to workforce development, providing labour market data, tools, resources and programs to strengthen recruitment, retention, and training efforts.
Media Contact:
Anna Hogarth
Communications Manager, Canadian Marine Careers Foundation
ahogarth@imagine-marine.ca | 438-356-6299
- Kevin Weaver, President and CEO, Georgian College
“The importance of the seafaring workforce to the Canadian economy cannot be understated and the Seafarers’ International Union of Canada are grateful that the Federal Government and the Government of Ontario are recognizing the importance of increasing training opportunities and support for workers in this critical industry. We must all work together to ensure the long-term stability of the marine sector, which benefits Canadian communities from Coast to Coast to Coast.”
- Chris Given, President, Seafarers’ International Union of Canada
“The Ontario Marine Council is pleased to support this vital workforce development initiative, which directly advances one of the key pillars of our Ontario Marine Strategy - the training and development of skilled seafarers. Ontario's marine sector contributes significantly to our provincial economy, and ensuring we have a robust pipeline of qualified mariners is essential for the continued prosperity of both our industry and the province. This targeted training program represents exactly the kind of strategic investment needed to address our sector's labour challenges while creating meaningful career pathways for Ontarians.”
- Hannah Bowlby, Chair, Ontario Marine Council (OMC)
About the Canadian Marine Careers Foundation
The Canadian Marine Careers Foundation (CMCF) is a national non-profit working with over 60 industry, labour, education, and government partners to build a diverse and future-ready workforce for Canada’s marine sector. Through its Imagine Marine campaign, the CMCF promotes career opportunities both onboard vessels and at shore by engaging youth, jobseekers, and equity-deserving groups. The CMCF develops unified and sector coordinated approaches to workforce development, providing labour market data, tools, resources and programs to strengthen recruitment, retention, and training efforts.
Media Contact:
Anna Hogarth
Communications Manager, Canadian Marine Careers Foundation
ahogarth@imagine-marine.ca | 438-356-6299
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