The Ontario government has opened 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 centre, which is being run 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.

"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 Labour Minister David Piccini. "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.

“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,” said Candice White, CEO & Registrar, Skilled Trades Ontario. “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.”

Nearly 1.3 million people are working in skilled trades-related occupations in Ontario. Over the next decade, Northern Ontario is expected to need over 21,500 workers to fill job openings in skilled trades-related occupations.

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