Ontario’s Labour Minister David Piccini is defending the government’s Skills Development Fund after questions were raised about more than $100 million in grants awarded to unions and industry organizations that endorsed the Progressive Conservative Party in the last election. Piccini rejected claims that the money was used to reward political allies, insisting the funding supports critical skills training programs across the province.
“It’s a bit ironic that in the past people criticized the PCs about not having the support of labour. And now that we do, they’re trying to find any reason,” Piccini told CTV News during a brief exchange at a Brampton golf course. “The bottom line is that when we’re supporting unions on the job site, we’re supporting programs all over Ontario that are giving people real skills.”
The Skills Development Fund, worth $2.5 billion, has come under scrutiny following revelations that political staff repeatedly overrode bureaucrats’ evaluations to award funding. Ontario’s auditor general found that such exceptions were made more than half the time, describing the grant distribution as “not fair, transparent or accountable.”
In September, CTV News reported that $11 million had been awarded to a Toronto restaurant chain despite the application being submitted late and receiving a low rating from public servants. Other revelations have focused on Piccini’s personal ties with individuals linked to grant recipients. The Ontario NDP has lodged a complaint with the province’s integrity commissioner after Piccini attended a wedding in Paris hosted by a lobbyist representing a company that received $7.5 million in grants. He was also photographed in rinkside seats at a Maple Leafs game with one of the company’s directors while serving as environment minister.
Public records show that unions such as LiUNA, Merit OpenShop, and the Pipe Trades Council — all of which endorsed the Ford government — have collectively received over $100 million from the fund. LiUNA alone or its locals received at least $27 million. The union faced criticism from public-sector unions after withdrawing from the Ontario Federation of Labour in September over tensions related to the fund’s allocations.
LiUNA spokesperson Victoria Mancinelli dismissed allegations of quid pro quo. “To suggest otherwise is nothing more than a smear campaign from the sidelines by those who claim to stand with workers but, in reality, abandoned them long ago,” she said in a statement.
When pressed on why full grant amounts and project rankings have not been made public, Piccini defended the program. “The Skills Development Fund is changing lives… and I’m proud to invest in life-changing training and support for the next generation,” he said.
The controversy underscores growing questions about how Ontario’s largest workforce training fund is managed, and whether political influence has shaped the flow of millions in public dollars.