Ontario Expands Employment Services to Three New Regions

The Ontario government has announced the expansion of its integrated employment services to three additional regions: Toronto, Northeast Ontario, and Northwest Ontario. This expansion is part of the Employment Services Transformation (EST) initiative aimed at connecting jobseekers, including those on social assistance and people with disabilities, to employment opportunities.

David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, stated that the integrated services and skills training are designed to help people leave social assistance and find employment. Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, emphasized that connecting people to jobs is crucial for building a sustainable and inclusive social assistance system.

The number of unfilled jobs in Ontario has decreased by over 49% since April 2022. However, there remains a need for effective employment services to help jobseekers, particularly those with disabilities or on social assistance, acquire the necessary skills for long-term careers.

The service system managers for the new regions are International APM Group Pty Ltd. and WCG International Consultants Ltd. for Toronto, Collège Boréal d’arts appliqués et de technologie for Northeast Ontario, and Serco Canada Inc. for Northwest Ontario. The planning and transition period for these regions began in early 2024, with full implementation expected by early 2025.

Employment Ontario, which supports these services, is funded through labour market transfer agreements between the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. The provincial government has called for the reinstatement of over $230 million annually that was cut from these agreements by the federal government.