Millions in Skills Development Fund grants went to Ontario PC donors, fuelling claims it’s a ‘slush fund’

Opposition parties are crying foul over a growing list of companies that have received grants from a multi-billion-dollar Ontario government fund, and whose directors or executives have also made sizable political donations to the governing Progressive Conservative party.

The ire comes a day after a bombshell Auditor General report revealed that political staff sidestepped the opinion of non-partisan bureaucrats to hand out around $750 million in grants from the Skills Development Fund (SDF) to applicants of their choosing.

“The Ford government has taken a program, a good program, designed to train workers, and are turning it into a slush fund to reward people connected to the premier,” said Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner in an interview.

• READ MORE: ‘Shades of the Greenbelt’: Questions raised about Ontario’s $2.5-billion private career training fund

In a press conference on Wednesday, Labour Minister David Piccini insisted the fund was targeted to best give skills to workers, and political staff were the best people to decide where the grants went, given the rapidly changing environment during the pandemic and the onset of U.S. tariffs.

“It’s important that I and the government, who are elected by the people, ultimately have a say in where these grants are going,” Piccini said.

The $2.5-billion Skills Development Fund has become a signature program under the Ford government, which touts how its program has enabled companies to train workers to get better jobs, pointing to some “1,000 projects enabling over 100,000 participants to achieve employment within 60 days of completion.”

One of those projects was a company called Dentacloud, which describes itself as specializing in helping dentists sell their practice to private equity and dental service organizations.

Dentacloud got just over $2 million in the fourth round of SDF grants for a program called “Dentists for Dentists.” The company said it trained 349 recipients, which led to over 70 hires.

“We are proud to have trained hundreds of recipients, including both incumbent workers and new prospects, helping to address labour shortages in the dental industry and to upskill the dental workforce,” wrote Edward Kwan, Dentacloud’s chief operating officer, in an e-mail to CTV News.

Dentacloud’s director, John Maggirias, was nominated for a King Charles Coronation Medal by Doug Ford, according to Canada’s Governor General’s office.

Elections Ontario records show Maggirias gave some $23,000 to the PCs since 2022, including $3,000 to then-Labour Minister Monte McNaughton.

Ford nominated businessman Nick Simone for a King Charles Coronation Medal as well, around the same time Simone was tapped to chair the board of Metrolinx.

Simone is also the CEO of Pace Law Firm, which said it is slated to receive $3.3 million in grants from the SDF for two programs.

“Pace Academy (Round 4) and Project Pace (Round 5) align with the public objectives of these programs,” wrote Stefania Szabo, Pace Law Firm’s Vice President, in an e-mail.

“Participants have included legal professionals, entrepreneurial trainees, and support staff, with programming designed to enhance practical skills through workshops, mentorship, and applied learning,” she wrote.

“As a result of these programs, we have expanded our internal capacity by hiring new staff as legal assistants, paralegals, lawyers, and administrative support. This has contributed to improved service delivery, increased operational efficiency, and enhanced support for clients and program participants,” she said.

CTV News has previously reported on two other grant recipients whose executives were PC donors: Scale Hospitality, which received at least $11 million, and Niagara spa and casino company Canadian Niagara Hotels Inc., which received $9 million.

• READ MORE: Niagara spa, casino company among those getting Skills Development Fund grants, drawing complaints from unions

Public sector unions have criticized the decision to send government funds to private training, as the province’s colleges are losing programs thanks to a dramatic decline in international students.

In Wednesday’s news conference, Piccini highlighted many deserving recipients who political staff chose to get Skills Development Fund grants.

“The Skills Development Fund is going up to specific areas and in every corner of Ontario, and what we won’t see [in the non-partisan staff recommendations] is the need to prioritize skills development in rural or remote areas of Ontario, and that wasn’t captured, and we have to do that,” he said.

“I believe in the power to change lives, and the nimble nature of the Skills Development Fund to train at any age. It’s important and it’s changing lives and it’s changing lives for the better, which is why we’ve received such incredible support for this program all across Ontario,” he said.