The new Agriculture Training Support Program will help employers in the food chain provide necessary training to new Alberta employees through $5 million in funding, the Government of Alberta says in a news release on May 8.
The program is intended to offset costs for COVID-19 safety and training, including the costs for personal protective equipment and to remove any barriers to get Albertans safely working, the release says. It is expected to support training for as many as 2,500 new jobs in Alberta.
“As we see record high unemployment in Alberta due to a global economic slowdown and COVID-19, we need to ensure unemployed Albertans have the opportunity for domestic jobs instead of hiring workers from overseas,” Devin Dreeshen, minister of agriculture and forestry says in the release.
Employers can apply for $2,000 per new employee, up to a maximum of $50,000 per employer. The grants will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis, the release says.
Alberta is partnering with the Government of Canada to provide employment support programs and services through the Labour and Immigration’s Workforce Development Agreement and through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the release says.
