May 22, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KITCHENER, Ontario — The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced $414,048 in funding for the Waterloo Region District School Board, in partnership with the Waterloo District Homebuilders Association, to help young people in Ontario find and keep jobs in the construction industry.
“Canada's New Government is delivering on its commitment to support apprenticeship training through projects like this one in Kitchener – Waterloo,” said Minister Solberg. “This project will allow local youth to get on-site experience and develop other skills to build a better and stronger future.”
This project is funded through Service Canada's Skills Link, one of Canada’s youth employment programs. Participants will gain work experience by participating in the construction of a house with the company Freure Homes. The 93-week project will also help participants overcome barriers to employment by providing them with the life and job skills they need to make the transition into the labour force or return to school. As part of the program, each participant will attend workshops to enhance their leadership, teamwork and communications skills, as well as to develop personal qualities such as self-esteem and self-reliance.
To help young people develop their skills in the trades sector, Canada’s New Government is delivering new initiatives and working with employers, community organizations and other levels of government. These initiatives include:
A new tax credit of up to $2,000 per year for employers who want to hire apprentices;
A new cash grant of $1,000 per year for registered apprentices in their first two years of a Red Seals trade program;
A new deduction of up to $500 for tradespeople to cover the cost of work tools.
Service Canada brings Government of Canada services and benefits together in a single delivery network. It provides Canadians with one-stop, personalized service they can access however they choose – by phone at 1 800 O-Canada, Internet at servicecanada.gc.ca, or in person at Service Canada Centres across the country.
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This news release is available in alternative formats, on request. Call 1-800-788-8282 on a touch-tone phone, or through a teletypewriter (TTY).
Media inquiries:
Meeta Bhimani
Service Canada Communications 416-973-4025
Media Relations Office
Service Canada 819-994-5559
Public inquiries:
1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232)
TTY: 1-800-926-9105 servicecanada.gc.ca
Youth Info Line 1-800-935-5555
youth.gc.ca.
Backgrounder
Skills Link
The Skills Link program is one of three programs that help young Canadians aged 15 to 30 obtain career information, develop skills, gain work experience, find good jobs and stay employed. The two other programs are Summer Work Experience and Career Focus.
Skills Link focuses on helping young people who face barriers to employment such as high school drop-outs, single parents, Aboriginal youth, persons with disabilities, youth in rural areas and recent immigrants. Summer Work Experience helps secondary and post-secondary students find summer jobs. Career Focus helps post-secondary graduates develop advanced skills and find careers in their fields. All three programs provide a range of activities that can be tailored to meet individual needs.
Projects funded under the Skills Link program have been reviewed to ensure compliance with the Department’s Grants and Contributions program and are subject to review under the Financial Administration Act.
Any employer, organization or individual seeking more information about youth programs and services should go to servicecanada.gc.ca, call the Youth Info Line at 1-800-935-5555, or visit a local Service Canada Centre.
