The federal government will spend $97 million over the next five years to help workers trained in foreign countries to get their credentials recognized in Canada, and says it will give an additional $75 million to expand a fund that supports union-based apprenticeship training in skilled trades.
The Foreign Credential Recognition Action Fund will be included in next week’s federal budget, and was announced Monday by federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu and Secretary of State for Labour John Zerucelli.
The fund will be paid for out of existing government money and doesn’t represent increased spending.
The government will also be spending an additional $75 million over three years to increase the Union Training and Innovation Program, which supports union-based apprenticeship training in skilled trades.
The government also announced it will introduce legislation aimed at lessening the use of non-compete clauses in contracts for workers in federally regulated sectors, including finance and transportation. The government also announced a temporary federal tax credit of up to $1,100 for personal support workers.
This is a developing story.