Ontario Helping Marginalized Youth Get Training and Land Jobs in Etobicoke-Lakeshore

Government investing $1.2 million to help marginalized people gain the skills needed to land in-demand jobs

NEWS JULY 22, 2024

ETOBICOKE — The Ontario government is investing over $1.2M through the Skills Development Training Stream to train workers in Etobicoke-Lakeshore for in-demand careers. This brings Ontario’s total investment in skills development training through SDF to nearly $1.1 billion.

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is proud to invest in programs that support training and upskilling,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “This project will give people the necessary skills needed to land in-demand and well-paying jobs in their communities and contribute to our province.”

In partnership with Building Up, the Skills Development Fund is investing $830,685 to support the continuation and advancement of the Building Up Alumni program. The project – Elevating Opportunities and Advancement for Marginalized Apprentices – is designed to build valuable network of wraparound supports for workers in the construction industry.

PTP-Adult Learning and Employment Programs’ Inclusive Futures project has received $375,319 investment to deliver integrated employment services (IES) to youth with mild intellectual disabilities in partnership with George Brown College. The funding will also help extend IES to serve marginalized and vulnerable youth in a new partnership and consolidate the IES model through research.

“Giving young people pathways to meaningful employment is a top priority for our government. This investment through the Skill Development Fund will give marginalized and vulnerable youth the opportunity to develop the skills they need to build rewarding careers,” said Christine Hogarth, MPP, Etobicoke-Lakeshore. “I am glad that Building Up and PTP are our partners in delivering programs that will prove to be life-changing.”

The Skills Development Fund Training Stream is open to a wide range of applicants, including employers, industry associations, labour unions, municipalities, hospitals and many more. The funding announced today builds on the government’s mission to make Ontario the best place in the world to work, live and raise a family.

“The Skills Development Fund (SDF) has allowed PTP, in partnership with George Brown College’s College Vocational Program, to create an innovative and seamless pathway to meaningful employment for youth with intellectual disabilities and those facing multiple barriers. These additional SDF funds will provide 50 youth with a year of comprehensive employment services, including job search counselling, connections to employers, and work placements, preparing them for sustainable employment in the retail, service, and other sectors,” said Barbara McFater, CEO, PTP Adult Learning and Employment Programs.

“We are grateful to MPP Hogarth, Minister Piccini and Premier Ford for the SDF funding. Through this partnership the province has reinforced their commitment to connecting Ontarians with barriers to employment to life altering careers in the construction industry. The province’s increased commitment to Building Up — and other organizations like us — ensures that we build the construction workforce that is needed in Ontario while simultaneously breaking the cycle of poverty for our most deserving community members,” said Marc Soberano, Co-Executive Director, Building Up.

Since its launch in 2021, Ontario’s Skills Development Fund has helped connect more than half a million jobseekers with the skills and training they need to find well-paying and fulfilling careers close to home.

Quick Facts

  • So far, the Skills Development Fund Training Stream has supported over 700 training projects across the province.
  • More than 420,000 of these participants are expected to be from an underrepresented group such as women, youth, persons with disabilities, racialized groups and Indigenous peoples.
  • Nearly 219,000 jobs are going unfilled across the province.
  • People interested in participating in the programs announced today are encouraged to contact the lead organizations of the projects directly.
  • The Skills Development Fund Training Stream is supported through labour market transfer agreements between the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.  
  • As announced in the 2024 Budget: Building a Better Ontario, the Ontario government is investing an additional $100 million through SDF to grow the trades workforce and build Ontario, bringing Ontario’s total SDF to over $1 billion.

Additional Resources

MEDIA CONTACTS

Saurabh Kapoor
Senior Communications Specialist
Office of Christine Hogarth, MPP, Etobicoke-Lakeshore
saurabh.kapoor@pc.ola.org
416-259-2249
195 Norseman St. Unit 21, Etobicoke, ON M8Z 0E9