Governments of Canada and British Columbia celebrate success of Canada Job Grant

VANCOUVER, May 20, 2015 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and British Columbia will provide over $582,000 in Canada Job Grant funding to Seaspan Shipyards to help 260 workers gain shipbuilding skills. The announcement was made today by the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors) and Member of Parliament for Richmond, on behalf of the Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of Employment and Social Development; along with the Honourable Shirley Bond, British Columbia Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour; and Andrew Saxton, Member of Parliament for North Vancouver.

This announcement brings the total number of workers being trained in British Columbia up to 6,800, thanks to funding provided through the Canada Job Grant. To date, over 1,280 employers have been approved for funding to train employees in British Columbia.

The announcement took place at Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards. Seaspan, which employs over 2,000 people, is a diverse Canadian industrial marine enterprise primarily involved in coastal and deep sea transportation and bunkering, while offering the West Coast's leading ship repair and shipbuilding services. As a result of Canada Job Grant funding, Seaspan Shipyards employees will benefit from state-of-the-art e-learning tools fundamental to the shipyard's current and future training requirements under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy, with a particular focus on machine-specific operations, docking processes, metal fabrication, steel forming, paint processes and rigging.

The Canada Job Grant is an innovative, employer-driven approach to help Canadians gain the skills and training they need to fill available jobs. By requiring employers to invest in training costs, the Canada Job Grant will result in skills training that leads to guaranteed jobs.

Under the Canada Job Grant in British Columbia, the Government of Canada provides two-thirds of total eligible training costs, up to $10,000, for expenses such as tuition, textbooks and student fees, and the British Columbia Government delivers the program. Employers are required to contribute the remaining one-third of these training costs, while small businesses have additional flexibility to make an in-kind contribution towards their share of the cost through wages paid to the training participant.

Quick Facts                                      

• Seaspan will receive $582,946 to train 260 employees. The company will invest an additional $291,473 in this training.
• According to British Columbia's Labour Market Outlook, by 2022, British Columbia is expecting one million job openings created by retirements and a growing economy.
• Of those million anticipated jobs, more than 78 percent will require some form of post-secondary education; including 44 percent which will need a college education or apprenticeship training.
• By 2017–18, over $38 million per year will be available for the Canada Job Grant in British Columbia.

Quotes

"The Canada Job Grant is taking skills training choices out of the hands of government and putting them where they belong: in the hands of employers and Canadians who want to work. By having employers directly involved in training decisions, the Canada Job Grant will lead to guaranteed jobs and will help businesses grow and succeed—and that is good news for the Canadian economy."
– The Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of Employment and Social Development

"A skilled workforce is fundamental to a strong economy. By helping employers invest in their workers, we are providing new and better job opportunities for people in Vancouver. Seaspan is a great example of how the Canada Job Grant is helping local workers get the skills and training they need to fill those jobs."
– The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)

"Over the next decade, there will be more than one million job openings in B.C. driven by retirements and economic growth, 44 percent of which are expected to be in trades or technical occupations. We are taking steps now to meet the needs of a rapidly changing labour market and the Canada–B.C. Job Grant is a key program that will provide training for British Columbians so they can find their fit in our diverse, strong and growing economy."
– The Honourable Shirley Bond, British Columbia Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour

"Today's announcement reaffirms Seaspan's commitment to deliver on both of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy's key objectives: to build new vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy; and to rebuild Canada's shipbuilding and marine industrial sector. People with the right skills are critical to achieving both objectives, and the Canada Job Grant enables us to strengthen our knowledge, technical capability and production capacity to deliver ships made in Canada by Canadians."
– Tony Matergio, Vice President and General Manager, Vancouver Shipyards

Associated Links

Canada Job Grant
Canada Job Grant (British Columbia)

Backgrounder

Canada–British Columbia Job Fund Agreement

The Labour Market Agreements have been transformed into the new Canada Job Fund agreements to ensure greater employer involvement in training. Nationally, the Government of Canada will continue to provide $500 million annually to the provinces and territories for investments in skills training through the Canada Job Fund, which includes the Canada Job Grant.

British Columbia will continue to receive over $65 million—its per capita share of the $500 million.

The provinces and territories have flexibility on the source of funds for the Canada Job Grant. They may be sourced from their allocations under the Canada Job Fund, the Labour Market Development Agreements or their own provincial/territorial sources.

Canada Job Grant

The Canada Job Grant will help Canadians get the training they need for available jobs and put skills training decisions in the hands of employers. It can provide up to $15,000 per person for training costs, such as tuition and training materials, which includes up to $10,000 in government contributions. The program is delivered by the Government of British Columbia. Employers are required to contribute one-third of these training costs. By 2017–18, a total of approximately $300 million per year will be invested nationally in the Canada Job Grant.

The Canada Job Grant is for short-duration training provided by eligible third-party trainers, such as community colleges, career colleges, trade union centres and private trainers. Training can be provided in a variety of settings, including in a classroom, on site at a workplace or online.

All private and not-for-profit businesses with a plan to train Canadians for a new or better job are eligible to apply for a Canada Job Grant.

The Canada Job Grant is flexible enough to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, in all industries and regions. Small businesses may benefit from flexible arrangements, such as the potential to count wages as part of the employer contribution. This will help ensure that all businesses, regardless of size, can fully participate in the Canada Job Grant.

The Canada Job Grant will ensure that employers participate meaningfully as partners in the skills training system, sharing in the associated costs. This will ensure that training is better aligned with job opportunities, particularly in sectors facing skills mismatches and labour shortages.

The Canada Job Grant is strongly supported by employers and other stakeholders, including:

• Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO;
• National Association of Career Colleges;
• Canadian Federation of Independent Business;
• Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters;
• Canadian Construction Association;
• Information Technology Association of Canada;
• Canadian Welding Bureau;
• Engineers Canada;
• Progressive Contractors Association of Canada;
• Christian Labour Association of Canada;
• Canadian Home Builders' Association;
• Canadian Shipowners Association;
• Canadian Electricity Association;
• Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating;
• Merit Canada;
• Polytechnics Canada;
• Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada;
• Chemistry Industry Association of Canada; and
• Aerospace Industries Association of Canada.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada