Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Developing Skills through Partnerships Symposium
I attended the Developing Skills through Partnerships Symposium, put on by the Ontario Network of Employment Skills Training Projects (ONESTEP) on Friday, November 24.
The Symposium brought stakeholders together in Toronto from various sectors, including trades, non-profit and public training sectors, and provincial and federal government representatives to discussing how we can best “build Ontario’s Workforce for the 21st Century through a Client-Centred Training and Employment System.”
Honorable Chris Bentley, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, opened the conference with a rousing speech, noting that only 30% of people in Ontario qualify for EI and therefore only 30% can access programs funded through EI.
He called for the federal government to honour the LMPA so that Ontario can better serve people who do not qualify for EI. Notably and quotably, Minister Bentley said this:
…to which ACTEW says “here here!”
Also worth mentioning, the conference featured presentations from the governments of Alberta and Quebec, provinces that have had LMDAs in place for close to ten years now.
In particular, I was impressed with the fact that the Quebec model has advisory committees for equity groups, and yes, actually has a women’s advisory committee. This is the first province that I’ve heard of that recognizes women’s specific employment and training issues through a formal group.
Does anyone know of other provinces that has a similar mechanism for women or other equity groups?
You might want to check out the web site www.skillsthroughpartnerships.ca, which will post the presentations given at the Symposium.
Deanna
The Symposium brought stakeholders together in Toronto from various sectors, including trades, non-profit and public training sectors, and provincial and federal government representatives to discussing how we can best “build Ontario’s Workforce for the 21st Century through a Client-Centred Training and Employment System.”
Honorable Chris Bentley, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, opened the conference with a rousing speech, noting that only 30% of people in Ontario qualify for EI and therefore only 30% can access programs funded through EI.
He called for the federal government to honour the LMPA so that Ontario can better serve people who do not qualify for EI. Notably and quotably, Minister Bentley said this:
Ontario will never reach its potential until everyone in Ontario reaches their potential.
…to which ACTEW says “here here!”
Also worth mentioning, the conference featured presentations from the governments of Alberta and Quebec, provinces that have had LMDAs in place for close to ten years now.
In particular, I was impressed with the fact that the Quebec model has advisory committees for equity groups, and yes, actually has a women’s advisory committee. This is the first province that I’ve heard of that recognizes women’s specific employment and training issues through a formal group.
Does anyone know of other provinces that has a similar mechanism for women or other equity groups?
You might want to check out the web site www.skillsthroughpartnerships.ca, which will post the presentations given at the Symposium.
Deanna
Labels: ACTEW_Activities, Meetings_and_Events, MTCU_Updates
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
IT Training Program for Women
Yesterday, the Toronto Star featured an extensive article on a program that trains women for IT careers. The program is offered by Conestoga College and ACTEW member Microskills, and offers subsidized tuition thanks to grants from the Ontario Women’s Directorate.
This program is innovative in training low-income women for skills in sectors that both pay well and are in demand. The Star article says that over 450 women have been trained since 2001, and 78% of women that graduated are currently in secure jobs. The instructor is quoted as saying, "You can't believe the success stories, of women who have gone from living on Ontario Works to $40,000-a-year jobs."
This program is just one example of the many innovative projects happening throughout the province that give Ontario women the tools they need to improve their employment skills, secure meaningful work, and make substantive contributions to Ontario’s economy.
Read the Toronto Star article
This program is innovative in training low-income women for skills in sectors that both pay well and are in demand. The Star article says that over 450 women have been trained since 2001, and 78% of women that graduated are currently in secure jobs. The instructor is quoted as saying, "You can't believe the success stories, of women who have gone from living on Ontario Works to $40,000-a-year jobs."
This program is just one example of the many innovative projects happening throughout the province that give Ontario women the tools they need to improve their employment skills, secure meaningful work, and make substantive contributions to Ontario’s economy.
Read the Toronto Star article
Labels: Resources_and_Research
Wondering Where We've Been?
We've been very busy preparing three important new aspects of the Putting Women in the Picture project.
- Check out our new project web site. This will house all sorts of resources, event listings and tips for getting involved with LMDA-related changes in your community.
- Subscribe to In Focus, our monthly policy e-bulletin. In Focus explores policies' impact different employment and training issues for women. Our premiere issue, available in December, looks at contingent work.
- Do you work at a community-based employment and training agency? ACTEW wants to assess the effects of LMDA policy changes on job-seeking and training for women in Ontario. We've developed a Pre-LMDA Survey to document services and programs for women as they are before the implementation of the LMDA. In 2008, we'll survey the sector again to get a sense of LMDA's effects.
If you work at a community-based employment and training agency, contact us to find out how to get counted: policy@actew.org. And if you complete a survey, your agency could win a $50 gift certificate for Chapters!
Labels: ACTEW_Activities
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Canadian Women: Contingent Workers
Despite many gains made in the past four decades, women’s employment remains concentrated in contingent work.
Using the broadest definition, contingent work is part-time, contract, and temporary work. Typically it is work that is non-secure, lower wage, and rarely has benefits and/or pension plans.
In 2004, Statistics Canada reported that over 2 million employed Canadian women - 27% of the total workforce - were part-time employees, compared with just 11% of employed men. A quarter of all women part-time workers said they wanted full-time employment, but could only find part-time work.
Moreover, income levels for women have remained, on average, considerably lower than men’s and this situation does not appear to be improving. According to a 2001 report on gender inequality in Canada by Karen Hadley, women’s incomes were found to be astonishingly low. Fifty per cent of women in Canada in 1998 had after-tax incomes ranging from zero to $13,786 and only 11% of women had after-tax incomes over $32,367. Aboriginal women, disabled women and racialized women fared even worse.
Contingent work has long-term impacts, for individuals and for society. More than 40% of Canadian women over 65 who are single, divorced or widowed, are also poor, and 65% of people collecting public pensions are women. This problem is not simply historic: presently, almost two-thirds of women under 65 do not have workplace pension plans, and this is mainly due to contingent employment.
Training and educating women so that they can secure long-term, well paid employment is good for everyone. It strengthens Canada’s position in the global economy, expands the tax base, develops flexible labour pools, and promotes the immediate and long-term health and wealth of families and communities.
Read more about women and contingent work in these resources:
Putting Women in the Picture: a Portrait of Current Training and Employment Policy for Women in Ontario, briefing paper from ACTEW, 2006
http://actew.org/projects/current/PWP_briefingpaper.pdf
We Still Ain't Satisfied: Gender Inequality in Canada, report by Dr. Karen Hadley, 2001
http://www.socialjustice.org/pdfs/stillnotsatisfied.zip
Women and Poverty, fact sheet from CRIAW, 2005
http://www.criaw-icref.ca/factSheets/Women%20and%20Poverty/Women%20&%20Poverty%202005.pdf
Pensions in Canada: Policy Reform because Women Matter, Women Elders In Action (WE*ACT), 2005
fact sheet
http://www.411seniors.bc.ca/PDF%20Files/WEACT_PositionPaperEnglLetter.pdf
position paper
http://www.vcn.bc.ca/411/PDF%20Files/Final%20Position%20Paper.pdf
Statistics Canada. Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report, 5th edition, Ottawa, March 2006
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-503-XIE/0010589-503-XIE.pdf
Using the broadest definition, contingent work is part-time, contract, and temporary work. Typically it is work that is non-secure, lower wage, and rarely has benefits and/or pension plans.
In 2004, Statistics Canada reported that over 2 million employed Canadian women - 27% of the total workforce - were part-time employees, compared with just 11% of employed men. A quarter of all women part-time workers said they wanted full-time employment, but could only find part-time work.
Moreover, income levels for women have remained, on average, considerably lower than men’s and this situation does not appear to be improving. According to a 2001 report on gender inequality in Canada by Karen Hadley, women’s incomes were found to be astonishingly low. Fifty per cent of women in Canada in 1998 had after-tax incomes ranging from zero to $13,786 and only 11% of women had after-tax incomes over $32,367. Aboriginal women, disabled women and racialized women fared even worse.
Contingent work has long-term impacts, for individuals and for society. More than 40% of Canadian women over 65 who are single, divorced or widowed, are also poor, and 65% of people collecting public pensions are women. This problem is not simply historic: presently, almost two-thirds of women under 65 do not have workplace pension plans, and this is mainly due to contingent employment.
Training and educating women so that they can secure long-term, well paid employment is good for everyone. It strengthens Canada’s position in the global economy, expands the tax base, develops flexible labour pools, and promotes the immediate and long-term health and wealth of families and communities.
Read more about women and contingent work in these resources:
Putting Women in the Picture: a Portrait of Current Training and Employment Policy for Women in Ontario, briefing paper from ACTEW, 2006
http://actew.org/projects/current/PWP_briefingpaper.pdf
We Still Ain't Satisfied: Gender Inequality in Canada, report by Dr. Karen Hadley, 2001
http://www.socialjustice.org/pdfs/stillnotsatisfied.zip
Women and Poverty, fact sheet from CRIAW, 2005
http://www.criaw-icref.ca/factSheets/Women%20and%20Poverty/Women%20&%20Poverty%202005.pdf
Pensions in Canada: Policy Reform because Women Matter, Women Elders In Action (WE*ACT), 2005
fact sheet
http://www.411seniors.bc.ca/PDF%20Files/WEACT_PositionPaperEnglLetter.pdf
position paper
http://www.vcn.bc.ca/411/PDF%20Files/Final%20Position%20Paper.pdf
Statistics Canada. Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report, 5th edition, Ottawa, March 2006
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-503-XIE/0010589-503-XIE.pdf
Labels: Issues_and_Trends
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
Planning Regional Meetings for 2007
ACTEW is working with several host organizations throughout the province to launch regional meetings on policy and women’s training and employment throughout 2007. Watch for meetings being hosted in Hamilton, Grand Erie area, Thunder Bay and surrounding communities in Northern Ontario. Do you want to host a meeting in your area? Call Deanna at ACTEW at (416) 599-3590 or email deanna@actew.org and we’ll work with you to make it happen.
Labels: Meetings_and_Events
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
ACTEW presents in Alberta: Things are looking good in Ontario
I just got back from presenting at a great conference at the University of Alberta on the weekend. The Work and Learning Network launched False Promises: Precarious Work in the New Economy and I had a chance not only to talk about ACTEW’s work on Putting Women in the Picture, but also to hear about Alberta’s Workforce Development initiative, and the issues and challenges that have resulted.
Through these conversations, I quickly realized that Ontario has a unique opportunity that may well be paving the way for the rest of Canada. What’s different about Ontario’s Labour Force Development is that training and employment organizations are being invited to the table through the LMDA Service Delivery Advisory Group (SDAG).
This group consults with the government on implementing training systems under the LMDA/LMPA. I don’t mean to suggest that we’re key players or are steering the implementation process, but listening to how community groups have been shut out of Alberta’s consultation process made me realize that there’s a big shift here in Ontario where, at the very least, community organizations are being recognized for their experience and expertise.
Oh yes, and the ACTEW presentation went well. We’ll post the presentation notes online as soon as they are available.
Deanna
Labels: ACTEW_Activities
