Ontario Helping Train PSW Workers at CTS Canadian Career College

July 9, 2021

NORTH BAY – Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing is pleased to announce that the Ontario government is investing $134,524 with the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) for Canada – Ontario Branch for their “Personal Support Worker with Professional Skills Training” program through the Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG).

This funding will help train 35 VON workers through CTS Canadian Career College so that they can gain the skills and expertise needed by the healthcare sector. The VON – Ontario Branch is contributing matching cash and in-kind contributions valued at $134,525 for a total project value of $269,049.

“Training and retraining are essential for Ontario’s economy to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “Through the Canada-Ontario Job Grant, we are ensuring our businesses stay competitive and innovative by helping cover the costs of training needed in a rapidly changing and technology-driven marketplace. This is part of our plan to help people recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and develop the in-demand skills needed for the future.”

“This funding is an investment in the people of Ontario and our economy,” said Vic Fedeli MPP for Nipissing. “Our government is helping businesses and workers manage the economic impacts of the pandemic and boosting upskilling and local jobs. This will help our region now and in the future.

“VON is proud to partner with the Ontario government in this important investment in strengthening availability of at-home care for those who need it” said Sharon Goodwin, Senior Vice-President, Home and Community Care for VON Canada. “Personal Support Workers at VON play a very important role in enabling people to remain at home, where they want to be, for as long as possible. We know now more than ever that home is the safest place to receive care.”

“We are extremely excited to be afforded the opportunity to work with VON to meet the growing needs of industry. It has always been the mandate of CTS Canadian Career College to fulfill the needs of the communities we represent, and this partnership is an excellent example. Equally as important is the fact that 35 students across Ontario will have the opportunity to become a NACC-certified personal support worker, with guaranteed employment in their field of study at no cost to them,” said Carlos Carvalho, Chief Executive Officer of CTS Canadian Career College. “It has been a pleasure working with Dr. Goodwin and her amazing team and we appreciate both the approved funding through the Canada Ontario Job Grant as well as the NACC’s involvement, both of which are major contributing factors to why these types of initiatives are possible during these unprecedented times.”

CTS Canadian Career College, in partnership with the National Association of Career Colleges, will be delivering the Personal Support Worker Program in a remote delivery format to facilitate the training of future Personal Support Workers, Home Support Workers and related positions in the healthcare sector.

This training will provide 35 VON participants with National Association of Career Colleges (NACC) certified PSW training and professional skills development that will allow them to work in a community/homecare setting. The online class includes lecture, discussions, activities and independent group work.

The breakdown of the training is as follows:

17 weeks of instructor led virtual classes
11 weeks of placement
3 lab days in a placement facility

The Canada-Ontario Job Grant provides employers up to $10,000 per worker that takes eligible training. For small employers and companies with less than 100 employees, the program can cover up to 83 per cent of the training costs. If they are training and hiring unemployed workers that coverage can rise to 100 per cent and up to $15,000 per unemployed worker who receives training. Larger companies (100 or more employees) can receive coverage for half of the training costs.

Ontario’s 2021 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy, includes measures to help workers and families recover from COVID-19 by investing an additional $614.3 million during 2020–21 and 2021–22 for employment and training supports, and proposing the new Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit, a one-time credit that would provide up to $2,000 for workers who enroll in an eligible course or training program in 2021.

QUICK FACTS

In 2019-20, more than 2,800 employers received training grants through the Canada-Ontario Job Grant program, allowing more than 13,000 employees to receive training.
For employer groups who want to apply for training supports the government offers a COJG Consortium Stream. This stream allows groups of employers (two or more employers) to pool their resources to support common training objectives and goals.
The Canada-Ontario Job Grant program is delivered by the Government of Ontario with support from the Employment Ontario network of employment service and training partners. The funding for the program is provided by the Government of Canada.
The Employment Ontario network includes more than 300 partner organizations across Ontario that offer a range of free services and supports that help businesses find workers and connect jobseekers to training and job opportunities.
As part of it’s 2021 Budget commitment, Ontario is providing an additional round of support through the Ontario Small Business Support Grant, totaling an estimated $1.7 billion, to help eligible employers impacted by necessary public health restrictions.

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