FREDERICTON (GNB) – New Brunswick will assume leadership of the Atlantic Workforce Partnership for a three-year period beginning today.
“We all want to maximize economic opportunities and take a strategic approach to job creation,” said Premier Brian Gallant. “The Atlantic Workforce Partnership is recognized as a best practice in regional co-operation, and New Brunswick is pleased to take on this important leadership role.”
The provinces are working together in a number of areas, including workforce development, certification, standards, labour mobility, skills training, immigrant recruitment and retention, supply chain issues, and apprenticeship.
“Our government is building a better job-creation model,” said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Francine Landry. “It focuses on teaching people the skills they need to succeed and on attracting more skilled workers to our province. In leading the partnership, New Brunswick will be steering our regional effort to grow the economy and increase the workforce.”
The Atlantic Workforce Partnership was established by the Council of Atlantic Premiers in 2012. Nova Scotia led the partnership for the first three years. Six priority areas were identified for collaboration: apprenticeship; federal engagement related to the Labour Market Development Agreement; labour market information; business support; attraction and immigration; and youth.
Successes to date include a $7.8-million investment to harmonize several trades under the apprenticeship program; consensus on a number of key areas within federal-provincial labour market agreements; a $1.7-million investment in helping small and medium-sized business with the procurement process; and increased co-ordination to attract immigrants to the region.
Atlantic Canada has more than 350 major investment projects with a value of more than $70 billion currently in various stages of development. A skilled and stable workforce is necessary to maximize economic opportunities associated with capital projects in the mining, electricity, and shipbuilding sectors.
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