Governments of Canada and Ontario finalize agreements to help Ontarians get jobs

Sign three major funding agreements for skills training and employment programs

March 28, 2014 – Toronto, Ontario – Employment and Social Development

The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development, the Honourable Brad Duguid, Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, and the Honourable Ted McMeekin, Ontario Minister of Community and Social Services, signed three agreements today to help connect Canadians with available jobs.

The new Canada Job Grant is an innovative, employer-driven approach to help Canadians gain the skills and training they need to fill available jobs. Ontario worked closely with other provinces and territories to find the best way to launch the Canada Job Grant, which is a feature of the Canada–Ontario Job Fund Agreement that was signed today (formerly known as Labour Market Agreements).

The flexibility achieved in the new agreement will allow Ontario to continue to support successful programs and services for its most vulnerable workers. Ontario’s economy is stronger when everyone has the opportunity to find work and contribute to the province’s growth. The Canada Job Grant will be supported in part through the new Canada Job Fund.

Also signed today was the new Canada–Ontario Labour Market Agreement for Persons with Disabilities. With mandatory employer involvement and better reporting of outcomes, the new agreement will better connect Canadians with disabilities with available jobs.

Canada and Ontario also signed the renewal of the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers program, a federal–provincial/territorial cost-shared initiative that provides unemployed older workers in eligible communities with training to re-enter the workforce.

Through these three agreements, Ontario and the federal government are working together to help more people get jobs and skills training to strengthen the province’s economy.

Read full article at http://news.gc.ca/