Changes to the Canada-Alberta Productivity Grant Open New Opportunities for Family Businesses

Investing in people is one of the most effective ways businesses can improve productivity, increase competitiveness, and adapt to changing market demands. However, for many employers, the cost of training has often been a barrier.

Recent changes to Alberta's Canada-Alberta Productivity Grant (CAPG) are designed to make workforce training more accessible and affordable for employers across the province.

The updates introduce two significant improvements:

• Business owners and employed family members are now eligible trainees.
• Government funding for eligible training costs has increased from 50% to 75%.

These changes recognize the reality that many Alberta businesses are family-operated, particularly in rural and regional communities like Southeast Alberta. In many cases, owners and family members are directly involved in daily operations and play critical roles in business growth, innovation, and succession planning.

Why This Matters for Southeast Alberta

From agriculture and manufacturing to retail, transportation, energy, and professional services, businesses across Southeast Alberta continue to face workforce challenges. While training is often identified as part of the solution, employers frequently cite concerns related to:

• Cost of training programs
• Staff availability and time away from work
• Limited local training options
• Administrative requirements
• Uncertainty about grant eligibility

The enhanced CAPG funding model has the potential to reduce some of these barriers by lowering employer costs and expanding who can participate. For family-owned businesses, the eligibility change is especially important. It acknowledges that productivity gains often come from upskilling owners, successors, and family members who help lead operations and drive business decisions.

We Want to Hear From Employers

While the recent changes are encouraging, questions remain:

• Are employers aware of the funding available?
• What workforce skills are businesses most in need of?
• What barriers still prevent companies from investing in training?
• Why have some eligible employers not applied for CAPG funding?

To help answer these questions, the Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce is gathering feedback from employers across the region.

The information collected will help identify workforce training priorities, challenges accessing support, and opportunities to improve participation in productivity-enhancing training programs. The feedback will also help inform future conversations with government and training providers.

Have Your Say

If you are an employer in Southeast Alberta, we encourage you to take a few minutes to complete our survey:

👉 Alberta Employer Training Needs and CAPG Participation Survey

Learn More About CAPG

For employers interested in exploring available funding opportunities: Canada-Alberta Productivity Grant Information

The Chamber's Perspective

The Southeast Alberta Chamber supports measures that improve access to training and workforce development for employers of all sizes. Expanding eligibility to business owners and family members reflects how many businesses actually operate and recognizes that productivity improvements often start with leadership and succession development. As governments continue to focus on economic growth and labour market development, ensuring that training programs are practical, accessible, and aligned with employer needs will be critical to the long-term competitiveness of businesses across Southeast Alberta.

Your feedback can help shape future improvements. We encourage all employers to participate in the survey and help us advocate for workforce training programs that work for business. Alberta Employer Training Needs and CAPG Participation Survey – Fill out form