The Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification, announced today an additional investment of more than $1.3 million in the Women Building Futures (WBF) Training Centre. This brings total federal funding to $2,493,977.
This investment will further assist the conversion of a warehouse into a teaching centre to support the WBF training program. The training centre will enable the organization to accept more women into training programs and supply more apprenticeship-ready workers for Alberta's construction industry. Half of Alberta's population, between 15 and 64 years of age, are female but represent only four per cent of the construction and oil and gas workforce.
"Today's investment of more than $1.3 million is another concrete example of how our Government is helping women reach their full potential in non-traditional careers," said Minister Ambrose. "This initiative strengthens Alberta's labour force and supports our efforts to build stronger businesses and stronger communities."
Women Building Futures has graduated more than 250 low-income women from their 16-week pre-apprenticeship training programs. Sixty per cent of these students were Aboriginal. Once this new training centre is complete, WBF can increase its capacity to help 400 women per year become qualified apprentices and skilled workers, which will strengthen Alberta's labour force.
"Women are a significant untapped resource for Alberta's construction industry," said Tamara Hauglum, Chair of the Women Building Futures Board of Directors. "Our programs will provide women with the training, employment and mentorship they need to build better lives and achieve economic independence."
Women Building Futures is a non-profit, charitable organization that works to help women build better lives and achieve economic independence through training, mentorship and employment support. The organization is recognized by industry as a supplier of quality, apprenticeship-ready tradespeople. Their new, 45,000 square-foot facility is scheduled to open in April of 2008.
For additional information contact:
Donna Kinley
Manager, Communication, Consultation and Marketing
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Telephone: (780) 495-6892
Cell: (780) 991-7432
JudyLynn Archer
Chief Executive Officer
Women Building Futures
Telephone: (780) 452-1200
WD Toll-Free Number:1 888 338-WEST (9378)
Web Site: WD is online at Western Economic Diversification Canada.
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Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD)
- WD works in partnership with the provinces, industry associations and communities to stimulate and diversify Western Canada's economy, as well as to represent the interests of the West in national economic policy.
- WD is announcing an investment of $1,312,685 in the Women Building Futures (WBF) Training Facility. This funding builds on WD's previous investments of $850,000 announced in March 2006 and $331,292 announced in April 2007, bringing total funding to $2,493,977.
- WD's investments, made through its Western Diversification Program (WDP), support the Government of Canada's commitments to invest in research, development and technology commercialization; support small and medium-sized enterprises; and promote a diversified and expanded business sector.
The underlying objective of the WDP is to create a stronger West and a stronger Canada. Several guiding principles are used to help assess how initiatives contribute to this objective, including:
- increased economic activity that improves the viability, prosperity, and standard of living for individuals and communities across Western Canada.
- increased economic research in the areas of community economic development, leading-edge technologies and entrepreneurship to provide a sound base for economic development in areas of importance to Western Canada.
- Other elements that are considered when determining the relative merit of proposals include: the measurable impact on the western Canadian economy, viability, long-term benefits, and the participation of other stakeholders.
Women Building Futures (WBF) Society
- WBF was founded in 1998 in response to the growing number of women and children living in poverty in Edmonton.
- After assessing labour market opportunities, and the skills and financial needs of low-income women, a trades training program for women was launched.
- To date, more than 250 low-income women have graduated from the WBF's 16-week, pre-apprentice training program. As well, WBF has been responsible for an over 90 per cent student success rate and is recognized as a key supplier of quality tradespeople.
- Partnerships with key industry stakeholders such as the Merit Contractors Association, the Construction Owners Association of Alberta, the Christian Labour Association of Canada and individual employers help ensure that WBF's program meets the needs of industry.
- WBF's training program Journeywomen Start is an approved, tuition-based program. The majority of women taking the training are on unemployment assistance or social assistance.
- In January 2005, WBF launched FixIt Chicks, which offers home renovation, repair and maintenance workshops for women. All proceeds from this enterprise flow back to WBF to help offset training costs for low-income women.
- Through this project, the lower two floors of the warehouse will be renovated into a new WBF training and retail facility and the top floor will be retrofitted into student housing units. Two more floors of student housing will be added on top of this, for a total of 42 affordable housing units for low-income women who want to enroll in WBF programs.
