Governments of Canada and New Brunswick announce agreements to give workers the tools they need to find and keep good jobs
Patty Hajdu, Canada’s Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour and the Honourable Trevor Holder, Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, announced that the two governments have signed agreements that will see Canada provide New Brunswick with over $700 million over six years to invest in New Brunswick’s workers. These new agreements represent an increase in funding of over $70 million over the period, compared to previous funding levels. This increase means an estimated 18,000 more New Brunswick workers will benefit over the six years and more jobs and skills training will be available to people in New Brunswick, including skills development, experiential learning and more.
Through these agreements, the Government of Canada is ensuring more people benefit from these programs than before—including people from groups typically under‑represented in our workforce, such as persons with disabilities, women and Indigenous eople.
As innovation and technology continue to change how we live and work, New Brunswickers and all Canadians are met with new challenges and new opportunities. That is why it is more important than ever before to ensure everybody can benefit from an innovation-driven economy—and that means ensuring that both employed and unemployed people have a chance to learn the skills they will need for the jobs of today as well as the jobs of tomorrow.
The agreements announced today are the Workforce Development Agreement (WDA) and the Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA). In the first two years New Brunswick will receive approximately $246 million—more than $36 million through the WDA and more than $210 million through the LMDA.
Results matter. That is why these agreements include a commitment to performance measurement. That means that Canada and New Brunswick will be able to measure how these programs are increasing people’s earnings, helping them get jobs that last, and breaking down barriers for under‑represented groups. The Government of Canada will be reporting to Canadians on the impacts of these programs, so that they are transparent and can be continually improved.
The WDA will help New Brunswick deliver training and services, such as:
- Employment Assistance Services
- Training and Employment Supports and Services for Persons with a Disability
- Workplace Essential Skills
- Community Adult Learning
Funding under the LMDA will allow New Brunswick to help more people and more employers meet their needs, through measures such as:
- Training and Skills Development including Apprenticeship
- Labour Force Training
- Human Resource Support Services
- Experiential Learning
Every Canadian deserves a fair and equal chance at success in the workforce. Through smart investments like the provincial agreements announced today, we can strengthen our middle class and help more of the people working so hard to join it.
Quotes
“I know that our greatest asset as a country is our people. Through investments like today’s agreements with New Brunswick, we’re ensuring our people can continue to be competitive, resilient and responsive as jobs evolve and as our economy grows. When we give people the tools to succeed, our middle class grows stronger and our workers and their families thrive.”
“I know that our greatest asset as a country is our people. Through investments like today’s agreements with New Brunswick, we’re ensuring our people can continue to be competitive, resilient and responsive as jobs evolve and as our economy grows. When we give people the tools to succeed, our middle class grows stronger and our workers and their families thrive.”–Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
“The Labour Market Development Agreement and Workforce Development Agreement we have signed with the Government of Canada will be extremely beneficial to current and future workers in New Brunswick. It is important that we are able to provide the skills and learning opportunities required for all of the province’s workers to be contributing members of society. These funds will go a long way in helping us attain that objective.”
– Trevor Holder, Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour
Quick facts
- Until recently, the Government of Canada transferred nearly $3 billion annually to provinces and territories to support employment and skills training programs. Through Budget 2017, the Government is investing an additional $2.7 billion from 2017–18 to 2022–23.
- $900 million over a period of six years in new WDAs to consolidate funding from the current Canada Job Fund Agreements and the Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities; and
- $1.8 billion over six years in amended LMDAs to provinces and territories.
- In total, from 2017–18 to 2022–23, the Government will invest approximately $20 billion in WDAs and LMDAs with provinces and territories.
Through these agreements, provincial and territorial governments will have greater flexibility in the design and delivery of programming and services to respond to the diverse and emerging needs of Canadians.
