TORONTO — A new investigation by The Trillium reveals that more than half of the organizations awarded grants in the latest round of Ontario’s Skills Development Fund (SDF) are led by Progressive Conservative (PC) donors or endorsers, sparking renewed calls for Labour Minister David Piccini to step down.
According to the report, 63 per cent of the $345 million distributed in the SDF’s fifth round went to groups tied to PC donors — many of whom have contributed a combined $1.3 million to the party since 2014. The Auditor General previously criticized the program as “not fair, transparent, or accountable,” noting that the minister’s office overrode ministry evaluations to select specific recipients.
The largest grant — $14 million — went to the Carpenters’ Regional Council, which months earlier hosted a $120,000 fundraiser for Piccini’s riding association featuring Premier Doug Ford as a guest. The carpenters’ union later publicly endorsed the PC Party before the early provincial election in February.
When pressed about the revelations, Piccini dismissed allegations of political favouritism, saying, “I’m supporting meaningful training opportunities that put people to work.” He denied any quid-pro-quo arrangements.
Critics argue the program has become a “slush fund” for PC-friendly organizations. The report found eight of the ten largest recipients had direct ties to PC donors or lobbyists, including firms represented by Rubicon Strategy, owned by Ford’s campaign manager Kory Teneycke.
One beneficiary, Sal-Dan General Contractors, received $3 million after hiring Rubicon to lobby for funding following two previous failed applications. Its executives and family members have donated nearly $50,000 to PC riding associations since 2017.
Meanwhile, donations to Piccini’s riding association have surged — jumping from $50,000 in 2020 to nearly $450,000 in 2024, coinciding with his appointment as labour minister and the expansion of the Skills Development Fund.
Despite mounting criticism, Piccini says he has no plans to resign, insisting that the SDF continues to help Ontarians “build careers and strengthen the workforce.”