News Release

November 21, 2006

ONTARIO GOVERNMENT EXPANDS PROGRAMS FOR NEWCOMERS IN YORK REGION, GTA
Invests $1.75 Million to Link Employers to Newcomers

From left to right: Ratna Omidvar, Executive Director of The Maytree Foundation and TRIEC; Rahul Bhardwaj, CEO of the United Way for York Region; Minister Mike Colle; Dave Saunders, President of LEA Consulting; and Luma Sayegh, newcomer success story and employee of LEA Consulting. All were present for the announcement of $1.75 million to expand programming to help employers tap into the skills of newcomers.

MARKHAM — The McGuinty government is investing $1.75 million to expand programming to help employers tap into the wealth of talent and skills of newcomers, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Mike Colle announced today.   

“Businesses need a skilled workforce to keep up their amazing growth, and newcomers have the global education and experience that make a huge difference to the bottom line,” said Colle.  “We’re expanding on proven models of success to connect employers to skilled newcomers. That’s a win-win for everyone here in Markham, throughout York Region, and the GTA.”

In the past three years, more than 32,000 newcomers have settled in York Region.  More than half are internationally trained skilled workers.

The Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) will coordinate projects, which will help employers connect with skilled newcomers. The projects will include supporting companies with onsite assistance to make their recruitment and human resources practices more effective, a database of job postings, an information campaign, enhancing the web site www.hireimmigrants.ca and using job developers to steer employers to the appropriate resources. Participating employers will also be able to attend free workshops on assessing international credentials and work experience from the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University.

“This funding from the Government of Ontario will help us reach small and medium sized businesses, where most new jobs are created,” says Ratna Omidvar, Executive Director of TRIEC and The Maytree Foundation. “We will be able to provide the tools and resources to help small and medium sized employers better recruit and retain skilled immigrants.”

The new investment is the latest McGuinty government initiative to break down barriers for skilled newcomers. Others include:

• Negotiated the first-ever Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement, which quadruples federal spending on language training and settlement services and brings an additional $920 million to assist Ontario newcomers over five years.
• Introduced Bill 124, the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, 2006, which, if passed, would help break down barriers facing newcomers seeking to work in their fields by mandating fair and transparent registration practices for regulated professions.
• Investing more than $50 million each year for ESL and FSL classes for adult newcomers, through 39 school boards across the province
• Launched OntarioImmigration.ca, which provides information for newcomers on the job market, how to find work, settlement information and even how to get a driver’s license.
• Invested over $34 million in more than 60 bridge-training programs, helping thousands of newcomers improve their language skills, prepare for exams and work in their field sooner.
• Launched an internship program in the Ontario Public Service and Crown agencies for internationally trained individuals.
• Investing $130 million annually, more than any other province in Canada, on programs to help newcomers upgrade their language skills, settle and find work.

“Ontario’s future depends on making the most of our most valuable asset – our people,” said Colle.  “When newcomers succeed, Ontario succeeds.”

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Contacts:
Rick Byun, Minister’s Office, (416) 325-3460
Karen Ras, Communications Branch, (416) 314-7012

• Backgrounder - McGuinty Government Helps Employers Link To Skilled Newcomers