FLESHERTON, ONTARIO, August 12, 2008 - Fourteen South Grey County residents with developmental disabilities will receive personalized counselling and assistance to help them get into the work force. Mr. Larry Miller, Member of Pa arliament for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced federal support for this enhanced employment assistance service project led by South East Grey Support Serv ices.
"Our government is committed to creating the best-educated, most-skilled and most flexible work force in the world," said Mr. Miller. "This project will help fourteen people with disabilities find and keep quality jobs in our community. It w ill also help local employers facing labour shortages, which will be good for the local economy."
South East Grey Support Services will receive a contribution of $44,249 from the federal government to deliver its project in Flesherton, Ontario.
Canada's Government supports this project through the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities. The Fund supports a wide range of emplo yment activities for unemployed people with disabilities who are not normally eligible for Employment Insurance benefits under the Employment Insurance Act.
"Involvement in the workplace should be considered as much a right as a responsib ility," said Mr. Gerry McNalty, Project Manager of South East Grey Support Services. "Thanks to the support of the federal government, this can be the situation for at least a few more individuals in the South Grey County area. Our interventions are desig ned to match individual needs, and solutions are crafted specifically for the individual."
With an annual budget of $30 million, the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities helps Canadians with disabilities to prepare for, obtain and reta in employment or self reliance, thereby improving their economic situation.
The Fund works in partnership with organizations, including from the private sector, to support an array of activities such as increasing employability skills, providing work experience, and preparing individuals for self-employment.
In Budget 2008, the federal government announced plans to make the costs of training that helps people cope with disabilities or disorders exempt from the Goods and Services Tax (GST ) and the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). The Government also plans to expand the list of GST- and HST-free medical and assistive devices to include service dogs. These commitments expand on the 2007 commitments to implement the Registered Disability Savings Plan, which will help individuals save money to care for children with severe disabilities, and to introduce the $45-million Enabling Accessibility Fund, which will improve physical accessibility for people with disabilities.
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This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
For further information (media only):
Lesley Harmer
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Solberg
819-994-2482
Medi a Relations Office
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
