Date   September 3, 2004
For release  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Government of Canada announces funding for National Seafood Sector Council

ST-JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR—The Honourable Joe Volpe, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, and the Honourable R. John Efford, Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Avalon, Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced Government of Canada funding of $725,180 to support four projects for the National Seafood Sector Council (NSSC). The projects focus on major issues currently facing the seafood industry, including regional marketing and communications, essential skills, occupational standards, and workplace safety. These projects are funded under the Government of Canada’s Sector Council Program. 

“The seafood processing industry is certainly a significant employer and a mainstay of local economies,” said Minister Volpe.  “These projects will help the National Seafood Sector Council strengthen its existing relationships and promote new partnerships to address industry human resources issues.” 

“The funding announced today demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment, through the Sector Council program, to address the human resource issues facing the seafood processing industry,” said Johanna Oehling, Executive Director of the NSSC.  “With this funding, the NSSC will continue to help workers to learn new technologies, enhance their current skills, and take advantage of training materials and services that are within local communities all across Canada.”
 
Each project focuses on specific human resources issues that have been identified by the Council and its partners as impacting on the success of the industry.  By keeping its human resources tools up-to-date, the industry is ensuring it has a workforce with the skills and knowledge required to enhance performance and productivity.

The Regional Marketing and Communication project will help the NSSC expand the role of its current coordinator network, to further promote its Labour Market Information and human resources development products, and to help cultivate a learning culture within the industry.

The Essential Skills project will implement an assessment tool for first-line supervisors to help promote labour mobility and skills recognition.

The Occupational Standards project will involve updating national occupational standards and learning materials that were originally created in 1997.  These updated tools will help the industry’s workers to keep their skills current, leading to improved performance and productivity.

The project will develop learning materials based on nation-wide standards and implement training sessions for managers and employees in the industry, to help create a safer workplace.

Sector councils bring together business, labour and educational stakeholders in key industries to identify and address common human resources and skills issues, and to find solutions that benefit the particular sector. They are instrumental in making sure that workers already employed and those seeking employment are well prepared for the challenges of the rapidly evolving labour market.  There are currently 29 national sector councils covering approximately 40 percent of Canada’s labour market.

Today’s announcement follows the Prime Minister’s commitment to develop a Workplace Skills Strategy (WSS), as outlined in his reply to the 2004 Speech from the Throne.  The WSS will recognize that the workplace is an important venue where both employers and workers respond to the challenges of skills and labour shortages associated with the rapid technological and demographic changes that are transforming the Canadian economy.  The Workplace Skills Strategy will build upon and refine current Government programs and activities including the Sector Council supports; apprenticeship programs; essential skills and workplace literacy initiatives; and foreign credential recognition and labour mobility. 

Funding for this project was provided in the March 2004 federal Budget.

This project complies with all departmental administrative rules governing grants and contributions, and provisions of the Financial Administration Act, and is subject to review to ensure compliance with the objectives of the program.

For more information:
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
(819) 994-5559