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November 8, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
05-74
HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA - Belinda Stronach, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal, today announced over $1.6 million in funding, through Human Resources and Skills Development Canada's Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) Program, for eight projects across Canada that will help integrate immigrants and foreign-trained Canadians into the workforce.
The projects range from evaluation and research aimed at identifying and eliminating barriers for foreign-trained professionals, such as occupational therapists and medical radiation technologists, to developing interactive on-line resources.
"We recognize that Canada's future competitiveness depends on a highly skilled workforce and on high performance workplaces," said Minister Stronach. "It is so important for immigrants to have the opportunity to make full use of their skills. That not only contributes to their personal quality of life, but it also benefits the health of our cities and our overall economy."
The Government of Canada's FCR Program will improve the integration of internationally trained workers into the labour force by working with key stakeholder organizations, such as professional bodies, trade associations and sector councils, to implement projects that will facilitate the assessment and recognition of qualifications acquired in a foreign jurisdiction.
The FCR Program is a key element of the Government of Canada's Internationally Trained Workers Initiative, designed to promote a strong economy while improving the health of Canadians and supporting the growth and prosperity of Canada's cities and communities. It is also crucial to enhancing the cultural vibrancy of our society and to maintaining our country's commitment to equality of opportunity so that all Canadians can share in prosperity.
Today's announcement is linked to Canada's Workplace Skills Strategy, aimed at helping Canadians to become the best-trained, most highly skilled workers in the world, as well as ensuring that employers' needs are met. We will work with provinces and territories, business, unions, sector councils and workers to ensure that all Canadians have the opportunity to develop their skills so that they can obtain meaningful and productive jobs.
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For further information (media only):
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
(819) 994-5559
Normand Bergeron
Special Advisor, Communications
Office of Minister Belinda Stronach
(819) 994-2482
Foreign Credential Recognition program: Projects announced in Halifax on November 8, 2005
Organization
Description of Project
Funding
Association of International Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
Canadian Information Centre for International Medical Graduates (CICIMG) National Information Web Site Hosting and Management Project - This project will support the launch, management, maintenance and evaluation of the CICIMG Web site during its first year of operation. Work under the project includes developing a plan to manage the Web site and identifying the most appropriate stakeholder to manage it over the long term.
$66,000
Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists
Situational Analysis and Recommendations for Internationally Educated Medical Radiation Technologists (IEMRTs)- The focus of this project is to better understand the barriers faced by IEMRTs as they go through the Canadian assessment and certification process, and to recommend ways to ensure an efficient and fair national assessment and certification process for IEMRTs wishing to work in Canada.
$129,675
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Issue Identification for Workforce Integration of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists - The goal of this project is to gain a comprehensive picture of issues that foster or prevent the integration of internationally educated occupational therapists into the Canadian occupational therapy workforce.
$369,104
Canadian Coalition of Community-Based Employability Training
Pan-Canadian Sector Council and Immigrant Dialogue - This project is focusing on three main activities:
1) Research on the needs of sector councils and immigrants with respect to the recognition and utilization of skills and work experience in non-regulated occupations;
2) Development and coordination of an FCR Dialogue between immigrant-serving employment agencies and sector councils held September 8 to 9, 2005, in Ottawa; and
3) The initiation of partnership activities between immigrant-serving employment agencies and sector councils (during and after the FCR Dialogue).
$255,110
Canadian Society of Cardiology Technologists
Interactive Multimedia Competency Skills National Examination - This project will develop additional interactive multimedia content for the Society's National Certification Examination in order to evaluate the clinical competencies of candidates taking the examination. It will also make both parts (theory and clinical competencies) of the examination available in English and French.
$129,209
Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science
National Prior Learning Assessment - This comprehensive review is designed to modify and improve the existing prior learning assessment process.
$104,500
Office for Partnerships for Advanced Skills
Learning Advanced Essential Skills On-line - This project will develop learning resources for two advanced-level essential skills. These resources will consist of seven learning modules plus an orientation to essential skills. The content will include generic learning material relevant to the advanced levels of the two essential skills, as well as occupation-specific material based on profiles developed for the three partnering sectors: biotechnology, culture and environment.
$463,323
Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council
Employer Challenge - This project will create opportunities to recognize employer innovation via an "employer challenge," which will encourage employers to make their case for being recognized as "top employers" of immigrants.
$147,235
Total Projects
$1,664,156
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