OSHAWA - May 25, 2009 - Minister of
Human Resources and Skills Development Diane Finley announced
today at Durham College how the Harper Government is
strengthening Canada’s Employment Insurance (EI) program to help
workers who are in transition. Long-tenured workers who have
lost their jobs due to the global recession will receive
additional support through the Conservative Government’s
Economic Action Plan.
“Under Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the
Government is taking quick action to inject immediate stimulus,
promote long-term growth and help unemployed Canadians gain the
skills required for tomorrow’s jobs,” said Minister Finley.
“Through Career Transition Assistance, the Government of Canada
will provide an estimated $500 million to help laid-off
long-tenured workers with many years of experience to upgrade
their skills.”
A long-tenured worker is
someone who has been in one type of job for a long time and
requires new skills to transition to a new field. Career
Transition Assistance consists of two initiatives to provide
additional support to long-tenured workers. One initiative
will extend the duration of EI benefits for eligible workers
who participate in longer-term training for up to two years.
Approximately 40,000 individuals are expected to benefit
from this measure. Workers who are investing in their own
training using all, or a portion of their severance
packages, will also benefit through a second initiative that
will see those eligible be able to access EI benefits
earlier.
As part of the EI program, the
Federal Government provides other employment programming and
services to Canadians through Labour Market Development
Agreements with provinces and territories under Part II of
the EI Act. Career Transition Assistance will be
implemented in partnership with provinces and territories,
who will have responsibility for the assessment and referral
of clients to training.
“Measures in our Economic
Action Plan demonstrate the Government’s commitment to
improving the EI program to help Canadians adjust to the
changing economy,” added Minister Finley. “By working with
the provinces and territories, through this and other
programs, we are providing Canadians with easier access to
training tailored to the needs of our country’s different
regions.”
“Today’s announcement is
welcomed news for the residents of Oshawa. We have to
protect those workers that have helped build our city as
Oshawa continues to expand and evolve into new technologies
and industries”, stated Dr. Colin Carrie, Member of
Parliament for Oshawa and Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister of Health. “This program will allow those workers
that have given so much the opportunity to expand their
training and land leading edge jobs within our community”
added Carrie.
Through Canada’s Economic Action
Plan, the Government is enhancing support to Canadians during
the global recession, and is investing in the country’s
long-term growth. The Government is investing an unprecedented
$8.3 billion in the Canada Skills and Transition Strategy to
support workers and their families, including measures for
income support, skills and training.
To
learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit
www.actionplan.gc.ca.
