A new project to facilitate the reintegration into employment of 72 older workers in Arthabaska and L'Érable

October 11, 2007

Plessisville, Quebec — Mr. Sam Hamad, Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity for Quebec, and the Honourable Christian Paradis, Secretary of State (Agriculture) and Member of Parliament for Mégantic-L'Érable, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, announced today that the Governments of Quebec and Canada will jointly contribute $568,000 to facilitate the reintegration into employment of older workers in the Centre-du-Québec region who have been affected by plant closures or downsizing, particularly in the furniture and clothing industries. According to the estimates of Emploi-Québec, which manages the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers, this amount will help to reintegrate 72 older works into employment over the next few months.

"The last few months have been difficult for a significant number of experienced workers who were laid off as a result of the difficulties in the furniture and clothing industries. It is of the utmost importance to redirect this skilled work force into more promising sectors. That is what is achieved by the project announced today under the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers," said Minister Hamad.

In collaboration with the Victoriaville local employment centre, Accès Travail will act as a sponsor for the project, which will be carried out in the Arthabaska and L'Érable Regional County Municipalities (RCMs). A total of $568,000 in funding will be provided to enable the organization to help 72 experienced workers in these two RCMs.

"Canada's New Government is committed to creating the best-educated, most-skilled and most flexible work force in the world. Since there is currently a worker shortage in Canada, we cannot, and must not, overlook the experience of older workers. They still have much to contribute, and Canada's new Government is committed to supporting them," said Member of Parliament for Mégantic-L'Étable, Christian Paradis.

Accès Travail will offer adapted support to these older workers by assessing their skills, enhancing their employability and teaching them job search strategies. Workers will also participate in career exploration and workplace observation days. Accès Travail will offer group activities to help participants take control of their return to work.

"This project will no doubt provide significant support to experienced workers who have been directly or indirectly affected by a changing regional economy. It will provide them with personalized means of support that will maximize their opportunities to quickly return to the work force," said Minister Hamad.

The Canada-Quebec Agreement on the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers was signed on November 20, 2006. The project announced today results from this $27 million agreement, which will expire on March 31, 2009. Seventy per cent of the total funding is provided by the federal government, and thirty per cent by the Government of Quebec, which administers the agreement.