ONTARIO-The Ontario government is expanding access to careers in the skilled trades in Northwestern Ontario by opening a local apprenticeship exam testing centre in Kenora. Through a new partnership with Seven Generations Education Institute and Skilled Trades Ontario, apprentices will be able to write their certification exams closer to home, helping more apprentices complete their training faster.
The new Kenora examination centre, facilitated by Skilled Trades Ontario, will help remove longstanding barriers for apprentices who previously had to travel to Thunder Bay, approximately five hours away, to write their exams, facing hundreds in costs and hours of delay to certification. By expanding local access to exams, Ontario is delivering on its plan to protect Ontario workers by helping more tradespeople complete their training faster, enter the workforce sooner and build long-term, in-demand careers in the communities that need them most.
“Northern Ontario powers our province and by localizing certification centres across Ontario, we’re tearing down barriers in the North that have kept talented people out of the trades for too long,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “When the path to certification is shorter, more Ontarians get in faster, communities get the skilled workers they need and Northern Ontario gets the workforce it deserves.”
Since April 2025, Skilled Trades Ontario has taken on the expanded responsibility of delivering apprenticeship exams directly at training institutions provincewide for apprentices completing their final level of in-school training. Over the past year, more than 5,400 final-level exams have been administered across Ontario, a 386 per cent increase since STO assumed responsibility.
“We appreciate the support of Premier Ford and Minister Piccini in expanding access to apprenticeship certification across Ontario,” said Candice White, CEO & Registrar, Skilled Trades Ontario. “The opening of a local exam centre in Kenora is an important step in reducing barriers for apprentices, particularly in Northern communities where travel has long been a challenge. Skilled Trades Ontario is continuing to expand exam delivery and strengthen our regional presence, helping apprentices complete their certification closer to home and supporting workforce development across the province.”
