Ontario Attracts Historic Number of People to Skilled Trades

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Apprenticeship registrations increased by a record 24 per cent last year OTTAWA — The Ontario government has increased apprenticeship registrations by 24 per cent in the last year – from 21,971 to 27,319 – as more people decide to pursue rewarding, well-paying careers in the skilled trades. In addition, the second year of the province’s highly popular skilled trades career fairs for students …

Providing Free Training for Auto Workers

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New projects will prepare people for good-paying careers in Ontario’s growing auto sector LONDON — The Ontario government is investing more than $4.7 million to support two innovative projects to help over 360 people land full-time jobs in the province’s growing automotive manufacturing sector. These free programs will provide participants with skills for rewarding careers in machine operation, assembly, quality control, …

Removing Unfair Work Barriers for Skilled Newcomers

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Professional Engineers Ontario first regulated profession to remove Canadian experience requirement following provincial legislation TORONTO — The Ontario government is leading the country with changes to help internationally-trained immigrants work in the fields they’ve studied in. After introducing historic legislation that banned regulated professions from requiring Canadian work experience in more than 30 occupations, Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) are the first association to …

Investing in Life-Saving Training for Firefighters

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New projects will give firefighters the physical and mental health skills they need to stay safe and save lives MISSISSAUGA — The Ontario government is investing $700,000 to support four innovative and free training projects designed for 203 professional and volunteer firefighters around the province. Training will focus on fighting fires in hazardous (Mayday) situations for small and rural services to …

Ontario Introducing New Rules to Keep Miners Safe

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SUDBURY — The Ontario government is working for the province’s 29,000 mine workers by introducing new rules to improve ventilation requirements in underground mines and lower exposure to harmful diesel exhaust to the most protective levels in North America. Long-term exposure to diesel exhaust can be a significant cause of lung cancer in miners. “Miners have been the backbone of Ontario’s …

Ontario Increasing Minimum Wage to $16.55 an Hour

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Nearly a million workers will benefit from bigger paycheques on October 1 TORONTO — The Ontario government is increasing the minimum wage to $16.55 an hour on October 1, 2023. This 6.8 per cent pay raise for low-income workers builds on the government’s steady and predictable increases every year to help families offset the rising cost of living. “Under the leadership …

Helping More Women Build Skills and Get Jobs

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$6.9 Million investment will expand the Investing in Women’s Futures Program to 10 new locations NEWMARKET – The Ontario government is expanding the Investing in Women’s Futures program to 10 additional locations across the province to create more economic opportunities for women. This expansion is part of a $6.9 million investment over three years to enhance the program and help …

Introducing Fines for Withholding Worker Passports

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Businesses and people who take advantage of vulnerable workers could face millions in fines TORONTO — The Ontario government is introducing the Working for Workers Act, 2023, which would, if passed, continue to lead the country in providing ground-breaking protections for workers. Announced today as part of the legislation are changes that would strengthen protections for vulnerable and migrant workers by establishing …

Cleaner Washrooms on Construction Sites

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Changes will require women’s-only washrooms and make the skilled trades more accessible for everyone LONDON — The Ontario government is working for workers by making washrooms on construction sites private, clean and safe. There are nearly 600,000 construction workers in Ontario, but only one in 10 are women. These changes, if approved, would make the skilled trades more accessible to women …

Ontario Tightening Rules Around Mass Layoffs

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KITCHENER — The Ontario government is working for workers by proposing updates to employment laws that would respond to more workers being remote and a changing economy. Under the proposed changes, employees who work solely from home would be eligible for the same enhanced notice as “in-office” and other employees in mass termination situations. This would ensure that remote employees receive …