Province streamlining system for people to find jobs in Milton, Burlington, Oakville
Published September 22, 2022 at 1:44 pm
A government program aimed at helping jobseekers and people on social assistance find meaningful work is coming to Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills.
Initial results show the integrated employment services system, which streamlines existing employment programs, has already helped 17,200 people, including 5,700 people receiving social assistance, secure employment in Peel, Hamilton-Niagara, and Muskoka-Kawartha.
“In the middle of the greatest labour shortage in a generation which is increasing the cost of living for families, we need all hands on deck,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
“For too long, Ontario’s employment services have failed to help those who need them the most, with too many people, especially those on social assistance, falling through the cracks of a complicated system. That is why we are revolutionizing the system, so that anyone who wants to, can find a job they are proud of, earn a bigger paycheque and make their dreams a reality.”
Across Ontario, there are more than 800,000 people on social assistance, many of whom use Ontario Works Employment Assistance to help them find jobs. Under the old system, however, only about one per cent leave Ontario Works for a job, with almost half returning soon after.
To help more of these individuals secure stable, rewarding careers, the government is integrating Ontario Works Employment Assistance and the Ontario Disability Support Program-Employment Supports program into Employment Ontario, creating a one-stop service that’s easy to use, focused on the needs of the local economy and provides job seekers with a suite of tailored employment services and supports.
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Each region of the province will be overseen by a system manager, which is responsible for delivering employment services in the catchment areas, managing existing service providers with performance-based financial incentives, and improving outcomes for jobseekers.
In total, service providers from the first three regions have already helped more than 52,000 people find a path to employment. The majority of these individuals are jobseekers who are at the greatest risk of long-term unemployment, including those with disabilities, have had prior involvement in the justice system, and at-risk youth.
The new system manager in Halton is Fedcap, a global, not-for-profit specializing in tailored support for unemployed people, including those with disabilities, including working as the system manager in Hamilton-Niagara already.
The integrated employment services will offer tailored services to jobseekers to help prepare them for good jobs in their communities and help support employers, so they have the skilled workers they need to fill vacancies.
In June, there were more than 370,000 jobs in Ontario waiting to be filled.
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