Kelowna, British Columbia, March 22, 2012—Mr. Ron Cannan, Member of Parliament for Kelowna–Lake Country, today announced a Government of Canada investment that will enable up to 45 Aboriginal people in the Kelowna area to develop skills that will help them find and keep good jobs. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
“Our government’s top priority is job creation and economic growth. In a constantly evolving labour market, it’s important that Canadians get the skills and training they need to succeed,” said Mr. Cannan. “This is why we work with organizations, such as the Okanagan Training and Development Council, to ensure Aboriginal people are able to take full advantage of economic opportunities.”
Through the Government of Canada’s Skills and Partnership Fund, the Okanagan Training and Development Council is receiving more than $1.27 million for its Work Force Connects: Return to Work through Forestry Partnerships project.
Through the project, the Okanagan Training and Development Council will helpAboriginalpeople get the necessary skills and training they need to get jobs in the natural resources sector. The participants will receive classroom and on-the-job training to gain skills and certifications that will help them secure good jobs in the forestry sector.
“We are proud to be working with the Government of Canada and all of our partners to support skills development in the Okanagan,” said Mr. Raf DeGuevara, Board Chair, Okanagan Training and Development Council. “Thanks to this support, participants in the Work Force Connects: Return to Work through Forestry Partnerships project will gain valuable skills to help them find work in our vital forestry industry.”
The Skills and Partnership Fund is part of the Government’s approach to help First Nations, Métis and Inuit get training and work experience to secure sustainable, meaningful employment. It is intended to encourage innovation in Aboriginal training-to-employment products and service delivery.
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For further information (media only):
Alyson Queen
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Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
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Launched in July 2010, the Skills and Partnership Fund encourages Aboriginal organizations to create partnerships with government, business and community organizations that drive change, improve skills training and create opportunities for Aboriginal people.
The Government of Canada is investing $210 million over five years in this partnership-based, opportunity driven fund. The Fund supports projects that encourage innovation, test new approaches and address systemic gaps in the delivery of employment services for Aboriginal Canadians to ensure this growing population can fully share in economic opportunities. All Aboriginal organizations are eligible to apply for funding under the program.
The Skills and Partnership Fund builds on the success of earlier Aboriginal employment programs. It responds to the changing needs and priorities of the labour market while providing opportunities for Aboriginal people to fully participate in Canada’s economy.
The Government of Canada also supports the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy, which is an integrated approach to Aboriginal labour market programming that links training to labour market demand. The Strategy supports more than 80 Aboriginal organizations in the delivery of programs and services to increase Aboriginal participation in the Canadian labour market. It focuses on three strategic priorities: supporting skills development; fostering partnerships with the private sector and the provinces and territories; and accountability and results. The program was launched in April 2010 with funding of $1.6 billion over five years.
