Sask. Party MLAs held five news conferences in five ridings Wednesday to criticize what their party is calling a funding cut, but the federal government says the money was never intended as a permanent thing.
The province is asking Ottawa to reverse what the Sask. Party is calling a $17.6-million “funding cut” to Labour Market Transfer Agreements (LMTAs) in the province. But Ottawa says the portion of LMTA funding that is going away was a temporary increase that was announced as such, and provinces knew it would end. It says the base level of LMTA funding has not changed.
LMTAs are used to fund community-based organizations that provide training and employment services to help prepare people — specifically from underrepresented groups — for jobs.
Nine MLAs — Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison Harrison, Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky, Saskatoon Westview MLA David Buckingham, Pasqua MLA Muhammad Fiaz, Lumsden-Morse MLA Blaine McLeod, Arm River MLA Dana Skoropad, Athabasca MLA Jim Lemaigre, Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill, Melfort MLA Todd Goudy — took part in a combined five news conferences on LMTA Wednesday.
“These reckless federal funding cuts come at a time when Saskatchewan is seeing historic job creation and more people are living and working in the province than ever before,” Harrison said at one of the events.
The province estimated that the lost funding cut would impact 7,000 clients who currently access the programs in Saskatchewan. The provincial government now plans to fund the programs itself.
Janet Uchacz-Hart, the executive director of the Saskatoon Industry Education Council, spoke at a news event in Saskatoon Wednesday.
“This funding has provided us with a crucial safety net that enables us to secure core funding for our organization to provide career exploration, experiential learning and skill development programming,” she said.
According to Employment and Social Development Canada, LMTAs injected $83 million in Saskatchewan, potentially benefiting 40,000 people last year.
Mathis Denis, press secretary for federal Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault, said in an emailed statement that no cuts have been made to the LMTA program.
“The base funding continues and has not changed,” Denis said.
According to the program description, the federal government announced a six-year, $1.8-billion temporary increase in funding to the program over 6 years, starting in 2017-18. The federal government said it extended that top-up for one more year in its 2023 budget.
“The provinces and territories were aware of that funding coming to an end. Some provinces and territories took action and reallocated some funds and some did not,” Denis said.