NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO GOVERNMENT
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The Ontario government is investing more than $684,000 in a new action centre that will help 3,179 laid-off workers impacted by the retooling of the Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd. plant in Halton. The funding will allow Unifor to offer job search assistance, job training access, one-on-one career counselling and help with resume and interview preparation.
“Ontario’s world-leading auto industry is the engine of our economy and our government stands with its workers,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “As the Oakville Ford plant retools to build electric vehicles (EV), the action centre will provide the services workers need to get back on their feet quickly and find jobs to support themselves and their families while the company works hard to retool and reopen the plant.”
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government recognizes that blue-collar jobs are building our province,” said Patrice Barnes, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “Our government will continue to work to help workers upgrade their skills and find good jobs.”
Run by Unifor, the new action centre will operate in Oakville until at least March 2025. It will offer up-to-date information on available jobs, skills development programs, personalized career counselling, networking opportunities, free access to computers and other services to workers impacted by the recent plant shutdown.
"Our union worked closely with the Government of Ontario to ensure that all auto and auto parts workers affected by the transition across the Halton region receive access to the peer-led employment supports and services this action centre will provide when they are needed most,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “While we were pleased to open this action centre quickly, our priority remains to protect every job and every worker’s livelihood throughout the EV transition to ensure no auto or auto parts workers are left behind.”
Ontario invests more than $1 billion each year in employment services and training programs like Better Jobs Ontario and the Skills Development Fund Training Stream to help workers train for well-paying and meaningful careers in their communities. These investments are part of the government’s ongoing efforts to attract, support and protect workers, making Ontario the best place to work, live and raise a family.
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