For Immediate Release
January 20, 2005 |
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ENHANCED LANGUAGE TRAINING AGREEMENT HELPS INTERNATIONALLY
TRAINED NEWCOMERS IN ONTARIO
New Training Projects Help Newcomers Continue
Their Careers
QUEEN’S PARK — The Honourable Joe Volpe, Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), and the Honourable
Mary Anne Chambers, Ontario’s Minister of Training, Colleges
and Universities, today announced a joint initiative to
strengthen higher level and job-specific language training for
internationally trained newcomers in the province.
The Ontario government and CIC are jointly investing
$3.4 million over two years to support 13 projects under the
Enhanced Language Training Initiative. The projects will
deliver job-specific language training to more than 1,300
internationally trained individuals to help them make the
transition to Ontario’s workforce.
“One of the keys to our continued prosperity and
competitiveness will be the degree to which foreign-trained
professionals and skilled workers are able to successfully
integrate into society and our workforce,” said Minister
Volpe. “The Government of Canada invests $20 million annually
in its Enhanced Language Training Initiative and I am pleased
to work with Ontario so that more immigrants can pursue
professions and trades that make full use of the talents and
skills they bring to Canada.”
“Our government recognizes the important contribution
newcomers make to ensuring a strong and prosperous economy for
all Ontarians,” Chambers said. “By providing the
internationally trained with higher level language training,
we are helping them to be successful in their efforts to
obtain employment in the occupations for which they have been
trained. It is important to all Ontarians that these skills
not go to waste.”
More than 70 per cent of adult immigrants who come to
Ontario are highly skilled with postsecondary education or
training. While the provincial and federal governments have a
long history of providing basic English and French as second
language programs, the issue for internationally trained
individuals has been the requirement for higher level language
skills that are specific to each occupation.
“The funding will allow us to develop and deliver higher
level language training that will help newcomers carry out
successful job searches and work effectively in our
workplaces,” said Phyllis Sereda, Executive Director of the
Peel Adult Learning Centre in Mississauga.
This investment is part of the Ontario government’s plan to
improve access for the internationally trained to their chosen
professions and trades. Ontario is providing $12.5 million
annually to meet this commitment.
“Our goal in negotiating a Canada–Ontario Immigration
Agreement is to help newcomers integrate successfully into the
economy and the community,” said Dr. Marie Bountrogianni,
Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. “Higher level
language training for newcomers is an essential part of
helping them bridge the gap to become employed in jobs for
which they are trained and qualified.”
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Contacts:
Rob Thompson
Minister’s Office, Ministry of Training, Colleges &
Universities
416-326-1609
Wilma Davis
Communications Branch,
Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities
416-325-6730
Public Inquiries: 416-325-2929
or 1-800-387-5514
TTY: 1-800-263-2892
Stephen Heckbert
Director of Communications
Minister Volpe’s Office
613-954-1064
Maria Iadinardi
Media Relations
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-0740
www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca
For more information on the Enhanced Language Training
Initiative, visit CIC’s Integration-Net website at
www.integration-net.cic.gc.ca/english/index.cfm
Backgrounder
HIGHER LEVEL ENGLISH AS A SECOND
LANGUAGE TRAINING FOR THE
INTERNATIONALLY TRAINED
Each year, thousands of immigrants choose Ontario as their
new home. More than 70 per cent of adult newcomers who come to
Ontario are highly skilled with postsecondary education or
training.
While the provincial and federal governments have a long
history of providing basic English and French as second
language programs, the issue for internationally trained
individuals has been the requirement for higher level language
skills that are specific to each occupation.
Both governments are moving forward to leverage the huge
potential that arrives on Ontario’s doorstep by investing
$3.4 million over two years to support 13 projects that will
provide higher level and job-specific language training to
more than 1,300 internationally trained individuals. The
projects are part of the provincial government’s agreement
with the federal government to cost-share 50-50 the Enhanced
Language Training Initiative of Citizenship and Immigration
Canada.
The following projects will be receiving funding:
| City and Organization |
Project Description |
Number of Clients |
Government Investment |
| BURLINGTON – The Centre for Skills Development and
Training |
Provide higher level language training to help
learners make the transition to the Job Shop or Career
Explorations programs. |
147 |
$278,269 |
| HAMILTON – Mohawk College |
Develop and deliver job-specific language training as
well as facilitate appropriate job shadowing, mentorships,
work placements and internships. |
100 |
$344,670 |
| MISSISSAUGA – Centre for Language Training
and Assessment Inc. |
Provide newcomers who have basic to intermediate
language abilities with higher levels of English courses
through flexible and user-friendly delivery methods. |
Development project |
$304,214 |
| Develop assessment tools to help place learners with
higher levels of English language proficiency in
appropriate language training programs. |
Development project |
$63,960 |
| MISSISSAUGA – Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre |
Provide higher level and job-specific language
training in the business administration and management
sector. |
140 |
$87,940 |
| MISSISSAUGA – Peel Adult Learning Centre |
Develop and implement higher level language training
to help newcomers carry out successful job searches and
work effectively in the Canadian workplace. |
80 |
$92,344 |
| MISSISSAUGA AND OTTAWA – Centre for Language Training
and Assessment and the Centre for Canadian Language
Benchmarks |
Develop an online assessment tool for higher level
language training. |
Development project |
$499,512 |
| OAKVILLE – Halton Multicultural Council |
Develop and deliver higher level language training and
job-specific language training in the office management
and education sectors. |
84 |
$54,880 |
| OTTAWA – Algonquin College |
Develop and test higher level language training
curricula in the following sectors: advanced technology,
business, health care, construction trades and
transportation. |
120 |
$625,960 |
| OTTAWA – Graybridge Malkam |
Provide job-specific language training for those
interested in the law enforcement field. |
80 |
$97,500 |
| TORONTO – George Brown College |
Develop and test higher level language training
curricula for information technology and microelectronic
programs. |
100 |
$116,380 |
| TORONTO – Toronto District School Board |
Provide higher level language training to help
learners make the transition to the Newcomer Opportunities
for Work Experience (NOW) Program. |
250 |
$353,626 |
| TORONTO – University of Toronto |
Develop and test a higher level language training
curriculum for pharmacists. |
200 |
$544,544 |
| TOTAL |
1,301 |
$3,463,799 |
Provincial funding for these projects is part of the
Ontario government’s commitment to improve access for the
internationally trained to the professions and trades they
were trained to perform. As announced in the 2004 Budget,
Ontario is providing $12.5 million annually by 2005-06 to meet
this commitment.
Initiatives to meet the commitment include:
- Working with professional regulatory bodies and
employers to increase access and eliminate barriers to
credential recognition and job entry
- Expanding training services to help internationally
trained individuals make the transition to Ontario’s
workforce
- Improving information on employment opportunities and
requirements for individuals considering immigration to
Ontario.
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Contact:
Wilma Davis
Communications Branch
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
416-325-6730
Maria Iadinardi
Media Relations
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-0740
www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca
For more information on the Enhanced Language Training
Initiative, visit CIC’s Integration-Net website at
www.integration-net.cic.gc.ca/english/index.cfm.
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