Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan Partner to Help Unemployed Older Workers Prepare for New Jobs

Parliamentary Secretary Ed Komarnicki, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, and the Honourable Rob Norris, Minister of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour for Saskatchewan, made the announcement today.

"When Canadians, including older workers, lose their jobs, our government wants to help them get back into the workforce as soon as possible," said Mr. Komarnicki. "Canada's Economic Action Plan, in partnership with the Province of Saskatchewan, is ensuring that older workers across the province get the support, training and skills development opportunities they need to find jobs and adapt to the changing economy."

Together, the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan are investing $1.1 million through the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers, which will help approximately 220 unemployed older workers. The Initiative helps unemployed older workers living in communities experiencing ongoing high unemployment, significant downsizing or closures.

"The provincial government is committed to ensuring Saskatchewan residents, regardless of age, have the opportunity to participate in Saskatchewan's economy," said Minister Norris. "Older workers represent a large and growing portion of Saskatchewan's population, and their ongoing contribution to our prosperity will be a benefit for everyone."

"Older Canadians have a great deal of wisdom and experience to offer in their communities, including in the workplace," said Ms. Holly Schick, Executive Director, Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism. "It is wonderful to have a program that helps them increase their skills and find meaningful employment. Programs such as this are also important because they increase awareness in the wider community of the gifts and skills of mature workers."

There are currently nine Targeted Initiative for Older Workers projects being offered across Saskatchewan. Today's event was hosted by the Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism and Dimension 11, who are partnering to deliver one of these projects in Regina called Put Your Wisdom to Work...Again...Re-Entering the Workforce.

Through this project, participants are getting the tools and information they need to prepare for new jobs-resume writing and interviewing tips, access to job search resources, skills upgrading workshops and committed mentors that help them choose their path. But perhaps the most important thing participants like Ms. Heather Smail are getting from the program is the confidence that they can succeed in a second career. Enhancing her interview skills led to a job shadowing opportunity that helped Ms. Smail upgrade her relevant skills.

"This program has proven to me that the knowledge, skills and abilities I acquired in the past are still required in numerous positions today," said Ms. Smail. "Put Your Wisdom to Work... has strengthened my belief that I can and will re-enter the workforce."

In 2006, the Government of Canada committed $70 million to launch the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers, and it invested another $90 million to extend the Initiative to March 31, 2012.

Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada is providing an additional $60 million nationally over three years for the Initiative. This investment could allow up to 6,000 more participants across the country to benefit from the specialized support they need to prepare for new jobs. In Saskatchewan, this means over $1 million in additional funding has been made available for projects.

The Economic Action Plan is the Government of Canada's strategy to protect the economy by helping Canadians. To learn more about the Plan, please visit the following Web site: www.actionplan.gc.ca.

This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.

BACKGROUNDER

Launched in 2006, the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers is a federal-provincial/territorial cost-shared initiative that provides employment assistance services and activities, such as skills upgrading and work experience, to assist unemployed older workers aged 55 to 64 living in communities experiencing ongoing high unemployment, significant downsizing or closures. To date, approximately 9,600 unemployed older workers across Canada have been helped through this initiative.

In addition to increased funding, Canada's Economic Action Plan includes a change in criteria that will allow the Initiative to target an even broader range of communities. Originally, cities and towns with populations of 250,000 or less were eligible, if they were experiencing ongoing high unemployment, had a reliance on one employer, or were affected by downsizing or closure. Now, an additional 250 communities in larger metropolitan areas are eligible. In Saskatchewan, all communities are eligible for funding under the Initiative.

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