Province commits $3.7M to Merit Ontario job bank
The Ontario government has committed $3.7 million in funding to support an online job bank being run by Merit Ontario.
Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister Monte McNaughton announced the funding on October 6. The province says the money will help up to 2,500 workers start or advance in well-paying careers in the construction industry.
This decade, Ontario will need 100,000 more construction workers to help deliver the province’s ambitious infrastructure plans, including 1.5 million homes by 2031.
“Construction workers keep our province running by building the roads, hospitals, homes and schools that we rely on every day,” said McNaughton. “With billions of dollars in infrastructure investments on the horizon, we need all hands on deck to get the job done. Our government will continue to invest in programs that ease labour shortages and give workers the tools to earn bigger paycheques for themselves and their families.”
The investment from the province will help Merit Ontario, an organization that supports contractors who employ both unionized and non-unionized workers, expand its Construction Ontario online job bank to match thousands of people with construction jobs at more than 300 small, medium and large employers in their communities.
The job bank helps jobseekers assess their skills, access additional training, and prepare for interviews.
The funding also supports Merit’s online training centre which is helping up to 2,500 construction workers train for the next step in their careers and earn more take-home pay.
“The Government of Ontario’s continued investment in Construction Ontario helps small and medium-sized construction employers and their employees access high-quality, engaging and accessible training to help them improve their productivity and enhance health and safety in the workplace,” said Merit Ontario President and CEO Mike Gallardo.
The Merit project runs until March 30, 2023. Employers, apprenticeship sponsors and apprentices can apply for the program at constructionontario.ca.
Funding for the project is being provided through the province’s Skills Development Fund, a $560 million initiative that supports programs that connect job seekers with the skills and training they need to find well-paying careers close to home.
The third round of funding launched last week, prioritizes projects that support people with criminal records and those on social assistance.
Ontario’s construction sector had 28,360 jobs waiting to be filled in the second quarter of 2022, up from 20,895 in the second quarter of 2021.