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Pilot project to improve local labour market information

Ontario Connecting Workers in Northeastern Ontario to Local Jobs
TimminsToday Staff
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NEWS RELEASE

MINISTRY OF TRAINING, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

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Ontario is supporting a new 18-month pilot program based in Timmins that will help better connect local jobseekers to available work opportunities in northeastern Ontario.

The Far Northeast Training Board has been selected by the province to deliver one of eight Local Employment Planning Council pilot projects across Ontario.

Local Employment Planning Councils will act as a hub to connect employers, industry associations, sector groups and other employer groups with appropriate labour market information.

Accurate, up-to-date, local labour market information is crucial to ensure local businesses, government, educational institutions and job-seekers can make better, more informed decisions.

Under the pilot, the Far Northeast Training Board will also pioneer new and innovative approaches to local employment planning in the northeastern Ontario area by:

  • Gathering and sharing local labour market information such as thesupply of available workers in relation to available jobs
  • Supporting integrated service and workforce planning by connecting employers, service providers, and other key organizations with critical information to address workforce needs in northeastern Ontario
  • Working with the community to help make sure employment and training programs provide job-seekers with the skills and training that employers in northeastern Ontario need
  • Supporting innovative, local projects that address labour market issues specific to northeastern Ontario.

Modernizing employment and training programs is part of the government's plan to build Ontario up.

The plan includes investing in people's talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario's history, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.

"I’m pleased that the Far Northeast Training Board will build on the significant contribution it has already made to Timmins and northeastern Ontario by participating in the province’s Local Employment Planning Council pilot project. It is critical to have strong local labour market information to better anticipate where our actual labour gaps may be and where current and future employment opportunities will occur, and I am confident that these pilot projects will provide communities like Timmins with valuable insights for both jobseekers as well as employers," said Reza Moridi, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

"The Far Northeast Training Board (FNETB) is pleased to have been selected to lead the Local Employment Planning Council pilot project in our region. We look forward to working with Ontario to enhance evidence-based workforce development and planning. The FNETB's mission is to promote the effective planning of training and workforce development programs and services so that qualified workers are available to meet the needs of the local labour market. We strive to achieve that mission through communication, collaboration and coordination. The LEPC is an opportunity to leverage local partnerships and collaborative approaches to pilot innovative workforce development and planning initiatives," said Julie Joncas, Executive Director, Far Northeast Training Board.

QUICK FACTS

  • While similar to existing Local Boards, the new Local Employment Planning Councils will provide more resources to support community-based solutions to local workforce training and development needs.
  • Local Employment Planning Council pilots will operate for an 18-month period beginning in December 2015.
  • Pilots are being established in Durham, Peel-Halton, London-Middlesex-Oxford, Windsor, Ottawa, Peterborough, Timmins and Thunder Bay.
  • These communities provide a diverse representation of labour market conditions across the province, including regional and demographic factors, and local economic conditions.
  • The province’s Ontario Job Futures online tool provides information on current trends and future outlook for about 200 occupations common to Ontario.

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