The Ontario government's new approach to supporting job seekers is expanding to five new jurisdictions, including Windsor, London, and Sarnia.
Employment Ontario's Employment Services is a one-stop shop for those who need support during their job search. It offers everything from training opportunities to childcare, even bus tickets to get to work.
Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development Monte McNaughton announced the expansion at Windsor City Hall Thursday morning. He said the new program is a monumental shift in how the government thinks about the path from social services to employment.
"Where in the past, governments would count how many people were going in the door, we're now counting people that leave Employment Ontario with a meaningful job," he explained.
Under the program, the City of Windsor and Workforce WindsorEssex are the Service System Manager for the Windsor-Sarnia catchment area, which includes Chatham-Kent.
The City of London will provide the service for its residents.
"With more than 25 years of experience in providing employment services for Londoners, the City of London is well positioned to be successful as the Service System Manager for the London Economic Region," said London Deputy City Manager of Social and Health Development Kevin Dickins.
McNaughton called the old system an injustice to those who wanted work but needed support finding it and keeping it.
Ontario now has 364,045 vacancies in the job market. There are 13,000 in the Windsor-Sarnia area. At the same time, there are 800,000 people on social assistance.
"To build a stronger Ontario, we need all hands on deck," said McNaughton.
The government introduced Employment Services almost four years ago in Peel, Hamilton-Niagara, Muskoka-Kawartha, Halton, York, Stratford, the Bruce Peninsula, and Kingston. By the end of the year, it will expand to Toronto and Northern Ontario.
"I'm proud to say nearly 63,000 people are on the path to a job, including 23,000 on social assistance," added McNaughton.
More than two in five recipients have a disability, and almost one in five are disadvantaged youth with a history in the criminal justice system.