“We hope and anticipate that many of these people, with some assistance, will be able to find employment in the area, or to further develop their skills,“ said Development and Technology Minister Mike Currie. “It is our intention that we will assist people so this transition will be as smooth as possible.”

Under the program, workers who are not able to gain employment at the plants left operating will be eligible for transitional support for one year. As a first step, government staff, together with selected community-based services, will meet individually with plant workers. The meetings will examine employment options for each worker and chart a course of action.

The program will also provide:

- targeted wage subsidies for eligible private sector employers;

- support for community-based employment that provides additional work experience and training for workers who cannot find private sector employment;

- employment service assistance for workers who wish to enroll in further training and career enhancement options.

Interviews with workers will begin as soon as possible.

“This initiative will be funded by the provincial government. We will be approaching the federal government to determine if we can partner with it through the federal - provincial Labour Market Development Agreement,” said Minister Currie.