IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE

Ontario Investing in New Resources for Construction Sector

@ Tinku Sing

The Ontario government is investing over $3 million to create a virtual training hub that will help construction supervisors learn the skills they need to mentor and train their team. The funding will also go toward the creation of an online job bank that will help up to 200 laid-off and unemployed workers find good jobs in construction.

“Construction workers build the houses we call home, the hospitals that care for us and the communities where we come together,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “There is a growing demand for these skilled workers and our government is proud to invest helping more workers start and build their careers in this in-demand sector.”

This initiative will support Merit Ontario, an organization that supports contractors who employ both unionized and non-unionized workers, in developing and running a virtual training and resource hub that helps 225 small, medium and large construction companies bring their training programs online. The hub will also offer courses and resources to train supervisors so they can provide improved skills and safety training for their workers.

“On behalf of the hundreds of Merit Ontario members and thousands of employees in the construction sector across Ontario, we thank the Government of Ontario and Minister McNaughton for this historic investment in training,” said Mike Gallardo, President and CEO of Merit Ontario. “This funding will ensure that underrepresented communities can fully participate in training and be part of the jobs of the future. Jobs in the construction sector are in high demand and we must do everything we can as employers and governments to ensure we can meet that demand. This funding will go a long way in meeting that goal.”

In addition, the project will create an online job bank where employers who are looking for new talent in the construction sector will be able to post job ads. The job bank will also help job seekers assess their skills and recommend additional training where needed.

This funding is part of the government’s $115-million Skills Development Fund to address challenges to hiring, training and retraining workers because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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