Ontario Construction Report staff writer
The Ontario government is launching a fifth year of Level Up! skilled trades career fairs, with events planned in 12 communities across the province to connect students and jobseekers with careers in construction, infrastructure and other in-demand sectors.
The 2026 fairs are expected to attract more than 60,000 attendees through a series of multi-day events running from Sept. 23 to Dec. 10. Organizers say the fairs will feature interactive exhibits, hands-on demonstrations and opportunities to meet employers, unions and training providers representing Ontario’s 144 skilled trades.
The events are aimed primarily at students in Grades 7 to 12, but will also welcome parents, guardians, educators and jobseekers interested in apprenticeship and training opportunities.
“Level Up! Career Fairs play a critical role in engaging students, giving them hands-on exposure to in-demand careers, and helping them see the real opportunities these pathways can lead to,” said Ian Howcroft, chief executive officer of Skills Ontario.
“For more than 35 years, Skills Ontario has worked alongside the Ontario government to strengthen the skilled trades and help build the workforce of the future. Together, we are opening doors, inspiring the next generation, and equipping young people with the skills they need to succeed.
“We are proud to support Level Up! once again and look forward to another successful year.”
Last year, more than 58,000 people attended Level Up! career fairs across Ontario.
The 2026 fairs will be held in the following communities:
- Cobourg — Sept. 23–24
- Kingston — Sept. 29–30
- Barrie — Oct. 6–7
- Timmins — Oct. 14–15
- Thunder Bay — Oct. 21–22
- Sudbury — Oct. 28–29
- Hamilton — Nov. 3–5
- Windsor — Nov. 11–12
- London — Nov. 17–19
- Ottawa — Nov. 24–26
- Oshawa — Dec. 1–3
- Mississauga — Dec. 8–10
Each fair will include daytime sessions for students attending with their schools, followed by free public open houses intended to help families learn more about skilled trades careers.
“Five years on, Level Up! continues to open doors for young people across Ontario, giving them real, hands-on exposure to the skilled trades and the careers they could build,” said Candice White, chief executive officer of Skilled Trades Ontario.
“The career fairs make that possible by connecting students and jobseekers directly with the tradespeople and employers shaping the work today.
“Skilled Trades Ontario is proud to deliver Level Up! alongside the Ontario government, and proud to support every young person discovering a career that is in demand, well paid, and built to last.”
The province said roughly one in three tradespeople is nearing retirement and hundreds of thousands of additional workers will be needed over the next decade. Ontario has set a goal of engaging 500,000 youth in the skilled trades by 2030 through programs including Level Up! and the Trade and Tech Trucks initiative.
The government said one in six job openings in Ontario is expected to be in skilled trades-related occupations by 2034, as the province continues work on a $236-billion infrastructure plan that includes housing, highways, hospitals and schools.