VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, September 3, 2008 — Today, Canada's Government announced funding for two projects that will help young people in Vancouver who are unemployed find and keep good jobs. Mr. Russ Hiebert, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification, and Member of Parliament for South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development.
"Prime Minister Harper and our government are committed to creating the best educated, most skilled and most flexible work force in the world," said Mr. Hiebert. "Not only will this funding help over 8,000 young people in the Vancouver area who need employment and career help, but it will also benefit local employers who are desperate for workers to fill their demand."
The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) Vancouver will receive $2,864,927 over the next two years in funding from Service Canada's Employment Assistance Services program to support two job-search facilities. Of this funding, $1,601,491 will support the Career Zone Youth Employment Resource Centre, located at 1260 Granville Street, and $1,263,436 will support the YWCA One-Stop Career Shop, located at 15A Chesterfield Place. Both facilities will help young people prepare for, get and keep jobs by providing employment resources, counselling and workshops.
"Thanks to the continued support of Service Canada, we are able to reach out to young men and women at a transitional point in their lives," said Ms. Marnie Marley, Director of Employment Services at YWCA Vancouver. "Our programs help young people find meaningful employment and maintain that employment, setting the foundation for life-long career success. We are proud to partner with Service Canada in building a skilled work force that will meet the needs of Metro Vancouver's dynamic labour market in the years to come."
These projects reflect Prime Minister Harper's commitment to creating a strong economy for all Canadians. Through its Advantage Canada plan, the Government is not only focusing on developing work force skills, but is also building on Canada's strengths and gaining a global competitive advantage by reducing taxes for all Canadians, increasing competition in the marketplace, building modern infrastructure and eliminating debt.
A backgrounder is attached.
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The Employment Assistance Services (EAS) program provides funding to organizations that offer employment services to help clients re-enter the labour market. Funding for the EAS program was provided for in the March 2007 federal budget. All unemployed Canadians have access to a range of services under the EAS program. However, some EAS offerings are available only to clients who are eligible to receive Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, or who have recently been receiving EI benefits.
Employment Assistance Services include providing clients with information about the labour market, help preparing résumés, career-planning services, employment counselling, diagnostic assessment, help with job-search skills, job-finding clubs, and job-placement services.
Eligible recipients of EAS funding are businesses, including federal Crown corporations and provincial and territorial Crown corporations, organizations, individuals, public health and educational institutions, municipal governments, and band or tribal councils, as well as some provincial and territorial government departments and agencies. These entities act as employers or service coordinators under the program.
