Ontario Supporting Auto Workers in Halton
May 29, 2024
New action centre will help over 3,000 workers find new jobs
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, Limited 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.
Quick Facts
- Total funding for the action centre is over $700,000. This includes Ontario’s investment as well as funding from Unifor.
- The action centre is located at 475 North Service Road East, in Oakville.
- There were nearly 107,500 jobs recently going unfilled in the Toronto Economic Region between October and December 2023.
- Ontario has attracted more than $43 billion in investments over the past four years to become a global leader in building electric vehicles.
- With 700 locations province-wide, the Employment Ontario network offers a range of free services and supports that help job seekers find training and job opportunities, and businesses find the talent they need.
- The Unifor Action Centre, Employment Ontario, Better Jobs Ontario and Skills Development Fund Training Stream are supported through labour market transfer agreements between the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.
Quotes
“Ford Oakville workers are essential to the future of this plant, the Halton Region and the province of Ontario. While we work with all parties towards a solution that shortens the retooling of the Ford Oakville plant, we will ensure that we’re here for our community and deploy urgently needed resources from the Local 707 union hall with coordinators and helpers who come directly from the shop floor.”
– Marc Brennan
Ford Oakville Plant Chairperson, Unifor Local 707
“With the funding provided by the Ontario Government, this action centre will also provide targeted assistance to workers in Ontario’s vital auto parts supply chain as well as Ford security workers. We will continue to make every effort to advocate for our members and make every resource available to workers and their families at this difficult time.”
– Alice Kelly
President, Unifor Local 1256
Related Story
Ontario Continuing to Attract New Investments and Jobs
Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, issued the following statement on May 10’s employment release by Statistics Canada, which showed Ontario is leading the nation in job creation, adding 25,000 jobs in April, including 5,800 jobs in the manufacturing sector.
