Sectoral Partnership Initiative Support for Labour Mobility - July 1997
The Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) was signed in 1994 by the federal, provincial and territorial governments and came into effect in July 1995. A section of the AIT, Chapter 7, deals with labour mobility. Its objective is to enable workers qualified for an occupation in one part of Canada to have access to employment opportunities in that occupation in any other province or territory.
Under the terms of the AIT, the Labour Mobility Chapter requires governments and their respective occupational regulatory bodies to assess their legislation, policies and regulations to ensure they do not impose barriers to labour mobility. Governments had until July 1, 1996 to invite their occupational regulatory bodies to initiate work towards compliance with the provisions of the Labour Mobility Chapter. These regulatory bodies are responsible for setting licensing and certification requirements for over 50 professional and technical occupations in Canada including engineers, architects, accountants, lawyers, doctors and nurses.
The Government of Canada, through Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), is now offering financial assistance for some activities designed to recognize the occupational qualifications of workers and to reconcile occupational standards. This offer reflects the commitment of the government outlined in the Speech from the Throne to work in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments to remove barriers to labour mobility and help to ensure a successful implementation of the Agreement on Internal Trade.
Funding is available through HRDC's Sectoral Partnerships Initiative (SPI). SPI helps various groups to address human resource issues by supporting sectoral partnerships among labour market stakeholders. The program brings together representatives from business, labour and education to meet human resource challenges on a sector-by-sector basis. Activities designed to comply with the AIT's Labour Mobility Chapter involve interaction among similar labour market partners to remove barriers to interprovincial mobility. These activities may qualify for federal funding for up to 50 per cent of eligible costs under SPI's National Sectoral Adjustment Services component.
Specifically, SPI funding is available to provincial and territorial regulatory bodies that have formed a consortium to examine and determine how they can recognize the occupational qualifications of workers and if necessary, reconcile differences regarding their respective occupational standards. The consortium must meet SPI funding criteria.
All inquiries regarding funding guidelines and/or proposal submissions should be sent to:
Sectorial Partnerships Delivery Division
Human Resources Development Canada
Phase IV, Place du Portage
140 Promenade du Portage
Ottawa/Hull K1A 0J9
Contact persons:
Sectoral Partnership and proposal for funding
Cynthia Waugh
Phone: (819) 994-4453
Fax: (819) 953-7599
Labour Mobility Chapter
Brendan Walsh
Phone:(819) 997-7308
Fax:(819) 953-0519
Mario Rondeau
Phone:(819) 953-0131
Fax:(819) 953-0519