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March 29, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
04-22
TORONTO, ONTARIO- Tony Ianno, Member of Parliament for Trinity-Spadina, on behalf of the Honourable Joe Volpe, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today announced that the Government of Canada will provide $662,892 to the Construction Sector Council (CSC) for its "E-Gold Seal" project. The announcement was made at the Ontario Construction Secretariat's Future Building 2004 conference in Toronto.
"I'm very pleased to be making this announcement today to support Canada's construction industry. This industry represents more than 12 percent of our national GDP and is vital to so many of our communities," said MP Ianno. "The Construction Sector Council, through this project and others like it, will be contributing to the industry's long-term productivity in Canada."
Through this project, the CSC will develop an on-line learning program that offers standardized construction management courses tailored to reflect provincial/territorial differences (e.g., different labour laws). Specifically, it will help ensure that all superintendents, estimators and project managers have the same skills and training needed to succeed on the job. It will also help to facilitate worker mobility and increase the number of certified project managers, superintendents and estimators within the construction industry.
"Courses for managers and supervisors that are Gold Seal recognized and available through our Distance Learning Engine are just the tip of the iceberg. The CSC has big plans for distance learning," said George Gritziotis, Executive Director, Construction Sector Council (CSC).
"By delivering high-quality industry courses through the internet, we can bring the bricks and mortar to your doorstep or, should I say, laptop," said Terry Brown, General Manager, Greyback Construction Ltd., and member of the CSC Board of Directors.
Today's announcement follows the Prime Minister's commitment to develop the Workplace Skills Strategy (WSS), as outlined in his reply to the 2004 Speech from the Throne. The WSS will have two primary objectives: first, it will ensure that individuals have the opportunities to develop and apply their skills fully, to learn on the job, and remain flexible and mobile in the evolving economy. Second, it will ensure that employers have the necessary skilled work force to be competitive in today's knowledge-based economy.
This strategy will build upon current government programs and activities, including sector council initiatives. Sector councils bring together business, labour and educational stakeholders in key industries to identify and address common human resources and skills issues, and to find solutions that benefit the particular sector. They are instrumental in making sure that workers already employed and those seeking employment are well prepared for the challenges of the rapidly evolving labour market. There are currently 29 national sector councils covering approximately 40 percent of Canada's labour market.
The Construction Sector Council (CSC) was created in April 2001 to meet the human resources challenges facing the industry. The council is currently addressing with key challenges such as matching projected demand for qualified tradespeople with future supply, facilitating interprovincial worker mobility, attracting new workers, addressing the need for a responsive and flexible apprenticeship system, and establishing an innovative training system to maintain skill currency.
Funding for this project was provided for in the 2004 federal Budget.
This project complies with all departmental administrative rules governing grants and contributions, and provisions of the Financial Administration Act, and is subject to review to ensure compliance with the objectives of the program.
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For more information:
Stephanie Lewis
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development
(819) 994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
(819) 994-5559
