KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA, October 11, 2007— Ms. Betty Hinton, Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Honourable Claude Richmond, Minister of Employment and Income Assistance, on behalf of the Honourable Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic Development, today announced the signing of the Canada-British Columbia Agreement on the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers (TIOW). This agreement will allow British Columbia communities to design and deliver projects and services that will help unemployed older workers retrain for new careers.
"Canada's New Government is committed to creating the best-educated, most-skilled and most flexible work force in the world. And that work force includes older workers," said Ms Hinton. "We anticipate that these community-based projects will help at least 1,200 workers in British Columbia to upgrade their skills, benefit from job counselling, and gain work experience."
Under the cost-shared agreement, the governments of Canada and British Columbia will provide $8,169,752 and $1,556,143 respectively (for a total of $9,725,895) to support community-based projects. These projects will ensure that help is provided to unemployed older workers in communities and sectors across the province that are affected by unemployment.
"With one million new job openings anticipated in British Columbia by 2018, older workers with the desire to re-enter the work force can make a key contribution to address the skills shortage challenge our province is facing," said Minister Richmond. "This agreement will allow communities to develop programs to help older workers transition into suitable occupations where they can continue to be an important part of both the work force and British Columbia's booming economy."
The TIOW is one of the deliverables of British Columbia's WorkBC action plan that sets out ways to address skills shortages for the next five years, and respond to longer-term labour market challenges. A key priority of the action plan is to develop the skills of existing workers. The TIOW will initially focus on workers in communities experiencing an economic transition such as those in the forest sector who are affected by the mountain pine beetle epidemic and by the restructuring of this sector.
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This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
For more information (media only):
Ms. Pema Lhalungpa
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Solberg
819-994-2482
Ms. Rena Kendall-Craden
Director of Communications
Ministry of Economic Development
250-952-0152
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
