Governments of Canada and Alberta launch the Canada Job Grant to help Albertans get jobs

The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development, and the Honourable Ric McIver, Alberta Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour, announced today that Alberta is now accepting employer applications for the Canada Job Grant.

The Canada Job Grant is an innovative, employer-driven approach to help Canadians gain the skills and training they need to fill available jobs. It is designed to be flexible enough to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, in all industries and regions. By requiring employers to partner in training investments, the Canada Job Grant will result in skills training that leads to new or better jobs for Albertans.

The Canada Job Grant will provide up to $15,000 per person for training costs, such as tuition and training materials (up to $10,000 from the federal government and $5,000 from employers).

Quick Facts

• As of June 2014, Alberta has the highest job vacancy rate in the country, indicating a strong need for employees.
• As of August 2014, Alberta has the highest provincial labour market participation rate at over 72 percent.
• In the next 10 years, Canada is expected to need 300,000 new workers in the construction sector, up to 150,000 new workers in the petroleum sector and 145,000 new workers in the mining sector.

Quotes

“Our government’s top priorities are creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity. The Canada Job Grant is part of our commitment to address the paradox of too many Canadians without jobs in an economy of too many jobs without Canadians. With employers’ skin in the game, the Canada Job Grant will lead to a guaranteed job. Helping employers train Canadians for jobs that need to be filled will help their businesses grow and succeed. And that is good news for the Alberta economy.”
– The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development

“A shortage of skilled labour is a risk to continued economic growth in Alberta, where many employers cannot find skilled workers to fill jobs. This program is one way to address this skills gap. It will help employers fill vacant jobs and help workers gain the skills they need to succeed in the workplace.”
– The Honourable Ric McIver, Alberta Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour

“The Canada Job Grant, in supporting skills training, will create a more prosperous Alberta through building a skilled workforce that meets our labour market needs. This vision is consistent with NAIT’s promise to Alberta to meet our province’s current and emerging needs for polytechnic education. NAIT will be a partner with industry in building employee skills funded through the Canada Job Grant.”
– Dr. Glenn Feltham, President and CEO, NAIT

“Nearly half of the country’s manufacturers believe skills and labour shortages are constraining their growth, and that government funding would spur them to undertake even more training. The Canada Job Grant is a proactive, effective measure to help Canada’s manufacturers deal with a serious skills gap.”

– David Plante, Vice President Alberta, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters

Backgrounder

Canada–Alberta Job Fund Agreement

The Labour Market Agreements, created in 2007, are being transformed into the new Canada Job Fund Agreements to ensure greater employer involvement in training. Alberta will receive over $57 million per year through the Canada–Alberta Job Fund Agreement.

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 will 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. Employers will be required to contribute one-third of the total costs of training.

The Government of Canada will provide over $34 million annually to the Province of Alberta for the Canada Job Grant once it is fully implemented. The Canada Job Grant will be delivered by the Province of Alberta.

By 2017–18, a total of approximately $300 million per year will be invested nationally in the Canada Job Grant.

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

The Canada Job Grant will be for short-duration training provided by an eligible third-party trainer, such as community colleges, career colleges, trade union centres and private trainers. Training can be provided 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 will be eligible to apply for a 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:

• The 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 and Heating;
• Merit Canada;
• Polytechnics Canada;
• Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada;
• Chemistry Industry Association of Canada; and
• Aerospace Industry Association of Canada.

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