Monday, February 25, 2008
New Canada-Ontario Agreement on Training and Skills Development
On Friday (Feb 22, 2008), the governments of Canada and Ontario announced "a new agreement to help Ontario workers improve their skills and get better jobs."
Under the new agreement, the Government of Canada will invest nearly $1.2 billion in Ontario's labour market over the next six years. These funds will help individuals and workers who are not eligible for training under the Employment Insurance (EI) program to improve their skills. The funding will also help individuals too often excluded from the labour force, including Aboriginal people, immigrants, persons with disabilities, as well as those workers who lack literacy and essential skills, get the training they need to obtain meaningful and sustainable employment.
Note that this agreement replaces the previously signed 2005 Labour Market Partnership Agreement (LMPA), which was to contribute $300 million/year ongoing to Ontario's labour market development strategies. The new agreement is less money and signed for a finite amount of time (6 years). The money will focus on a few priority areas, including: technical skills training, labour market integration of immigrants, foundation skills and supports, and labour market supports for persons with disabilities.
The agreement comes into effect April 1, 2008, beginning with an investment of about $194 million in 2008-2009. Read full press release and backgrounder on the Government of Canada web site.
Under the new agreement, the Government of Canada will invest nearly $1.2 billion in Ontario's labour market over the next six years. These funds will help individuals and workers who are not eligible for training under the Employment Insurance (EI) program to improve their skills. The funding will also help individuals too often excluded from the labour force, including Aboriginal people, immigrants, persons with disabilities, as well as those workers who lack literacy and essential skills, get the training they need to obtain meaningful and sustainable employment.
Note that this agreement replaces the previously signed 2005 Labour Market Partnership Agreement (LMPA), which was to contribute $300 million/year ongoing to Ontario's labour market development strategies. The new agreement is less money and signed for a finite amount of time (6 years). The money will focus on a few priority areas, including: technical skills training, labour market integration of immigrants, foundation skills and supports, and labour market supports for persons with disabilities.
The agreement comes into effect April 1, 2008, beginning with an investment of about $194 million in 2008-2009. Read full press release and backgrounder on the Government of Canada web site.
Labels: LMDA, LMPA, MTCU_Updates
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
MTCU Update: New Federal Investments; Program Design Update; Upcoming focus groups on Service Delivery Framework
Deanna Yerichuk attended the January 18 Employment Ontario Service Delivery Advisory Group meeting. Three key topics were covered:
New Federal Investments as Ontario negotiates a Labour Market Agreement
Kevin French, Assistant Deputy Minister of MTCU, is leading negotiations with the government of Canada to sign a Labour Market Agreement (LMA), which would transfer new funding Ontario for labour market training initiatives (read ACTEW’s blog of the 2007 federal budget announcement). The LMA is in fact replacing the Labour Market Partnership Agreement (LMPA), and two investment priorities have been earmarked for the money:
1) non-EI-eligible clients
2) low skill workers
It was confirmed at the meeting that these priorities mean that funding will be able to support Ontarians who do not currently qualify for EI, as well as Ontarians that are under-employed and/or precariously employed.
There was no mention of Ontario’s share of the $500 million annually promised across Canada, but they do expect the agreement in place for the money to start to flow in 2008/09 fiscal year.
Program Design Update
The External Service Delivery Reference Group on Program Design – Employment had an intensive planning session in January to determine guiding principles and provide feedback on the proposed employment services delivery model. Here are just a few of the key components of the new integrated system (targeted to be implemented in April 2009):
A revised document will be released at the end of January. ACTEW is planning a members’ meeting for mid-February to review these discussions in detail with our representative Honey Crossley (Working Skills Centre) who sits on this external stakeholder advisory group. ACTEW members will receive information about this session shortly.
Upcoming focus groups on Service Delivery Framework
MTCU has completed the Jurisdictional Review, and is fine-tuning a discussion paper on the current Service Delivery Framework. Coordinated by the Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres (OAYEC), MTCU will be holding a series of focus groups and inviting written submissions at the end of February. ACTEW members will have an opportunity to attend these focus groups around the province. Stay tuned for more information.
Materials from the January 18 meeting will be placed on the Employment Ontario Partners’ Gateway web site: http://www.eopg.ca/eng/sdag.html
As always, if you have any questions, concerns or ideas, please contact Deanna at policy@actew.org.
New Federal Investments as Ontario negotiates a Labour Market Agreement
Kevin French, Assistant Deputy Minister of MTCU, is leading negotiations with the government of Canada to sign a Labour Market Agreement (LMA), which would transfer new funding Ontario for labour market training initiatives (read ACTEW’s blog of the 2007 federal budget announcement). The LMA is in fact replacing the Labour Market Partnership Agreement (LMPA), and two investment priorities have been earmarked for the money:
1) non-EI-eligible clients
2) low skill workers
It was confirmed at the meeting that these priorities mean that funding will be able to support Ontarians who do not currently qualify for EI, as well as Ontarians that are under-employed and/or precariously employed.
There was no mention of Ontario’s share of the $500 million annually promised across Canada, but they do expect the agreement in place for the money to start to flow in 2008/09 fiscal year.
Program Design Update
The External Service Delivery Reference Group on Program Design – Employment had an intensive planning session in January to determine guiding principles and provide feedback on the proposed employment services delivery model. Here are just a few of the key components of the new integrated system (targeted to be implemented in April 2009):
- There are three “components’ of the integrated employment services: Support for Independent Job Search, Employment Placement, Matching and Incentives, Job Maintenance, Sustainability and Advancement.
- Deliverers of service will determine which component, or combination of components will achieve the best results based on the individual’s needs, the local labour market environment and the program’s strategic goals/policy objectives.
- Employment service functions, intensities and incentives enable deliverers to tailor services to individual, employers and community circumstances and needs to achieve labour market attachment outcomes.
- Depending on community demographics, the services could include “specialization” of delivery and access – i.e. services targeted to immigrants, persons with disabilities, older workers, youth, and specialization of components such as placement and matching.
- Enables communities to augment components of services to reflect and respond to local circumstances and unique community demographics or economic situations. Based on the need, services may include some or all components of the employment service model, and may add unique components and features.
- EI status is no longer an eligibility requirement for access to employment services. However, there will have to be the capacity to record and track EI status to meet LMDA reporting requirements and to report expenditures against the appropriate account.
A revised document will be released at the end of January. ACTEW is planning a members’ meeting for mid-February to review these discussions in detail with our representative Honey Crossley (Working Skills Centre) who sits on this external stakeholder advisory group. ACTEW members will receive information about this session shortly.
Upcoming focus groups on Service Delivery Framework
MTCU has completed the Jurisdictional Review, and is fine-tuning a discussion paper on the current Service Delivery Framework. Coordinated by the Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres (OAYEC), MTCU will be holding a series of focus groups and inviting written submissions at the end of February. ACTEW members will have an opportunity to attend these focus groups around the province. Stay tuned for more information.
Materials from the January 18 meeting will be placed on the Employment Ontario Partners’ Gateway web site: http://www.eopg.ca/eng/sdag.html
As always, if you have any questions, concerns or ideas, please contact Deanna at policy@actew.org.
Labels: LMDA, LMPA, Meetings_and_Events, MTCU_Updates
Friday, March 23, 2007
Money in Federal Budget to Support Non-EI-eligible Workers
The federal government has not provided any funding for the Labour Market Partnership Agreement (LMPA) but the federal budget tabled on Monday does allocate funds with a similar intention.
The Conservative government states it has earmarked:
others facing labour market barriers? We also don't know how much of the $500 million will make its way to the province of Ontario. By comparison, the LMPA earmarked an investment of $300 million per year into Ontario. If we do hear any clarity on these questions, we'll pass them along to you.
Other relevant highlights of the 2007 Federal Budget include:
In particular, FAFIA has released a document on the impacts of the Budget on Canadian women, stating that...
The Conservative government states it has earmarked:
$500 million annually starting in 2008–09 for a new approach to labour market training to help ensure that Canadians who need skills training will receive it. This provides a total of $3 billion more for training by 2013–14.It's unclear whether this is to honour the LMPA or replace it. Will the money have similar allocations and target groups that include apprenticeships, integration of immigrants, literacy and essential skills, workplace skills development, assistance for Aboriginals, and assistance to
others facing labour market barriers? We also don't know how much of the $500 million will make its way to the province of Ontario. By comparison, the LMPA earmarked an investment of $300 million per year into Ontario. If we do hear any clarity on these questions, we'll pass them along to you.
Other relevant highlights of the 2007 Federal Budget include:
- Renegotiating LMDAs with other provinces to fully devolve all agreements (some provinces have "co-managed" agreements, meaning the the province and the federal government work together)
- the possibility of devolving other pan-Canadian employment and training programs, such as programming for youth, people with disabilities, and older workers.
In particular, FAFIA has released a document on the impacts of the Budget on Canadian women, stating that...
women in Canada are affected differently than men by tax and spending policies of governments as a result of their varying labour market opportunities, family and community responsibilities, and levels of economic security.FAFIA's report provides an overview of the budget in regards to poverty measures, tax breaks, social programs, and values. Download the report from the FAFIA web site.
Friday, November 10, 2006
LMDA, LMPA...What’s the Difference?
There’s been a comment posted, and I’ve had several other inquiries asking: what’s the difference between the LMDA and the LMPA?
There are a few critical differences:
There are a few critical differences:
- where the money’s coming from:
The LMDA money comes from the EI account; the LMPA comes from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF). Clients need to qualify for EI to access services funded through the LMDA, but there is no such requirement in the LMPA. Therefore, employment and training services offered through the LMPA can be a lot more flexible in accessibility requirements LMDA services. - what’s being transferred:
The LMDA is not simply a transfer of money. It actually transfers programs and services with their associated funding (to get technical, the LMDA transfers the Employment Benefits and Support Measures under Part II of the EI Act).
In comparison, the LMPA is transfer of dollars, not programs. Some money will be invested in existing programs/organizations at federal/provincial level in Ontario, but there is also a commitment to create new programs/organizations (“instruments”) to address priority areas. - who’s in charge:
The LMPA will be jointly managed by the province and the federal government. The two governments will work together to determine priority spending areas, requirements, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.
The LMDA fully devolves responsibility and money from the federal government to the province. This doesn’t mean that the federal government is not involved: the federal government is working closely with the provincial government in implementation of the LMDA. Also, the federal government defined the LMDA parameters of the programs, eligibility and evaluation in the agreement, so the province is bound by terms set federally. - whether the agreement will be honoured:
The LMDA is well on its way to being implemented January 1, 2007.
On the other hand, the federal government has not released any funds associated with the LMPA, and at this point, we are unsure whether the federal government plans to honour the agreement.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
What is the “LMPA”?
The Canada-Ontario Labour Market Partnership Agreement (LMPA) was signed in November 2005 along with the LMDA. (Here's what we have to say about the LMDA.)
Unlike the LMDA, the LMPA is a new agreement: only three provinces have signed an LMPA with the federal government. The LMPA is an open-ended agreement that transfers $300 million per year to Ontario, and it is designed to fill in the gaps left by the LMDA.
The LMPA has six priority areas:
Also different from the LMDA, the LMPA represents a transfer of dollars without associated programs. This is an investment of new dollars into employment and training in the province.
The bad news: the federal government has yet to transfer any money to the province, and we’re not sure if they plan to honour the agreement.
If you know your MP, ask them what the status is on the funding associated with the LMPA. Then let ACTEW know what they tell you.
For more information about the LMPA, take a look at ACTEW’s two-page overview, available in English and French.
The LMPA agreement itself is available on the HRSDC web site: http://www.sdc.gc.ca/en/epb/lmd/lmda/ontario/partnership.shtml
Unlike the LMDA, the LMPA is a new agreement: only three provinces have signed an LMPA with the federal government. The LMPA is an open-ended agreement that transfers $300 million per year to Ontario, and it is designed to fill in the gaps left by the LMDA.
The LMPA has six priority areas:
- apprenticeships,
- integration of immigrants,
- literacy and essential skills,
- workplace skills development,
- assistance for Aboriginals, and
- assistance to others facing labour market barriers.
Also different from the LMDA, the LMPA represents a transfer of dollars without associated programs. This is an investment of new dollars into employment and training in the province.
The bad news: the federal government has yet to transfer any money to the province, and we’re not sure if they plan to honour the agreement.
If you know your MP, ask them what the status is on the funding associated with the LMPA. Then let ACTEW know what they tell you.
For more information about the LMPA, take a look at ACTEW’s two-page overview, available in English and French.
The LMPA agreement itself is available on the HRSDC web site: http://www.sdc.gc.ca/en/epb/lmd/lmda/ontario/partnership.shtml
Labels: LMPA
