QP Briefing

The Ford government is providing $6.5 million to fund five job training programs for people with disabilities.

Labour Minister Monte McNaughton made the announcement — alongside Accessibility Minister Raymond Cho — in Toronto on Monday, saying the money will go to five non-profits who are administering the programs.

“At a time when nearly 300,000 jobs are going unfilled around the province, giving people with disabilities a fair shot at a life-changing job isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also good for the bottom line,” McNaughton said in a statement.

“Our government is proud to invest in training programs that will lift people living with physical or intellectual disabilities up, giving them training and confidence they need to find meaningful work, earn a good paycheque, and lead purpose-driven lives.”

The first of the five programs is one being administered by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) that provides employment services to 1,300 people who are blind, partially sighted or Deafblind, offering one-on-one and peer support, skills building and goal-setting workshops, and accessible technology training. The program is receiving just shy of $3.5 million from the province.

Community Living Toronto, Do Good Donuts, the Geneva Centre for Autism and PTP Adult Learning & Employment Programs in partnership with George Brown College are offering the other four programs, which will help support 2,470 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“These projects help create inclusive opportunities for Ontarians with disabilities to thrive in the workplace, strengthen our economy and enrich our communities,” Cho said in a statement.

Community Living Toronto is receiving just over $1.8 million for its MyJobMatch program, which connects job seekers with employers who are seeking to fill positions in industries such as hospitality, customer service, retail, IT, manufacturing, janitorial and maintenance.

The funding comes from the province’s $700-million Skills Development Fund, which was set up to help support training programs as the Ford government looks to take action to fill the roughly 300,000 job vacancies in Ontario.

Ford government provides $6.5 million to job training programs for people with disabilities

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