Government of Canada launches new Employment Assistance Services funding stream to strengthen the vitality of official language minority communities

GATINEAU, QC, April 11, 2024 /CNW/ - Official language minority communities (OLMCs) enrich our linguistic heritage and play a vital role in strengthening Canada's workforce and economy. The Government of Canada continues to promote the economic vitality and well-being of individuals in these communities by ensuring that they have the supports they need to find employment and succeed in their careers.

Today, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, announced the first call for proposals for the Employment Assistance Services (EAS) stream under the Enabling Fund for Official Language Minority Communities (EF-OLMC). Funding of $231 million over five years (2024–2025 to 2028–2029) will support organizations that aim to strengthen the economic prosperity of OLMCs across the country.  

This new EAS stream reflects the Government's broad vision of a strong Canadian Francophonie, of Quebec's vibrant English-speaking communities and of bilingualism that recognizes Canadian French and English linguistic heritage.

Not-for-profit and for-profit OLMC organizations and Indigenous organizations that serve an Indigenous community whose first official language—English or French—is the minority language of that province or territory are eligible to apply for funding under this call for proposals. Eligible projects must provide one of the following four services: job search assistance, counselling and case management, unassisted services, and/or other employment assistance services activities.

The new EAS stream is one of the largest initiatives under the Government of Canada's Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection – Promotion – Collaboration to ensure that people living in OLMCs can find, obtain and maintain employment. Up to 43,000 Canadians will have access to these services annually and these supports will be delivered by organizations that understand the unique needs of individuals who are part of OLMCs. Organizations have until June 20, 2024, to apply for funding.

Organizations interested in applying are encouraged to do so electronically through the Grants and Contributions Online Services portal. Creating an account on this portal is a one-time process that allows organizations to apply for various Employment and Social Development Canada funding opportunities in a secure web environment. For more information on eligibility requirements and how to apply, please visit the Employment Assistance Services stream webpage on Canada.ca.

Today's announcement demonstrates the Government's commitment to Part VII of the Official Languages Act, the protection and promotion of Canada's two official languages, the preservation of French and the vitality of OLMCs across Canada.

"Official language minority communities promote English and French across Canada. Ensuring that Canadians have the support they need when searching for jobs is essential to their success. The new Employment Assistance Services stream underlines our commitment to enhancing the vitality of official language communities across Canada. I strongly encourage eligible organizations to apply." 
– The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages

• Francophones outside Quebec experience higher unemployment (7.6%) and lower participation rates (66.5%) than the majority of the Anglophone population (Statistics Canada 2021). Additionally, the Francophone population outside Quebec continues to shrink compared to the growth of the Anglophone population.
• The new EAS stream, announced under the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection – Promotion – Collaboration (Pillar 3: Strong measures to support the vitality of communities), will support local organizations in official language minority communities to deliver employment assistance services to English-speaking communities in Quebec and French-speaking communities outside Quebec, in the minority official language. The Action Plan provides an investment of $4.1 billion to support seven departments and 33 new or enhanced measures to protect and promote official languages in Canada.
• Employment and Social Development Canada is working directly with the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique on a project to deliver employment assistance services in British Columbia. This will support strong collaboration amongst OLMC organizations in the province.
• In June 2023, Bill C‑13, an Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages received Royal Assent. This Act helps modernize and strengthen Canada's linguistic heritage and provides considerable benefits to Canadians, while taking into account their distinct linguistic backgrounds and experiences.

• Backgrounder: Government of Canada Launches new Employment Assistance Services Stream

• Call for Proposals – Employment Assistance Services
• Grants and Contributions Online Services
• Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection – Promotion – Collaboration
• Official Languages Support Programs
• ESDC on Facebook

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The new Employment Assistance Services (EAS) stream under the Enabling Fund for Official Language Minority Communities (EF-OLMC) is one of the most important initiatives in the Government of Canada's Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection – Promotion – Collaboration to ensure that people living in OLMCs are able to find, obtain and maintain a job. Up to 43,000 Canadians will have access to these services annually, and these supports will be delivered by organizations that understand the unique needs of individuals who are part of OLMCs. Organizations have until June 20, 2024 to apply for funding.

Eligible projects under the EAS stream must address one or more of the following related activities that are conducted with OLMC clients:

(1) job search assistance;
(2) counselling or case management services;
(3) unassisted services; and
(4) other activities related to employment assistance services that are not identified above.

The Department will accept proposals from organizations that demonstrate that they meet the following objectives of the EAS stream by:

• providing employment assistance services through OLMC organizations, based on an understanding of the unique labour market needs of communities (through a "by and for" approach); and
• integrating the services of these organizations into broader provincial and territorial skills and employment delivery systems to better meet client needs, including through two-way communication and referrals.

The Department reserves the right to evaluate projects in a comparative and collective manner. Priority may be given to proposed projects that meet one or a combination of the following criteria:

• provide services in more than one of the four identified employment assistance service activities;
• establish and maintain collaborative relationships with service providers that contribute to the success of the service model (such as sectors, regions or industries, or with community/not-for-profit groups, educational institutions or other service providers);
• contribute to pan-Canadian coverage by serving larger areas of OLMC clients, including those living in rural or remote areas; and
• serve people living in OLMCs with intersectional identities (other underrepresented groups such as 2SLGBTQI+ people, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, persons with disabilities, racialized persons, women or youth).

Projects must have an end date of March 31, 2029.

The following types of organizations are eligible to apply:

• not-for-profit organizations in OLMCs;
• for-profit organizations in OLMCs;
• Indigenous organizations that serve an Indigenous community whose first official language—French or English—is the minority language of the province or territory.

An OLMC organization is defined as having a mission or mandate where the majority of resources are primarily devoted to supporting members of OLMCs at the national, provincial, regional or local level, which includes educational or vocational training institutions.

Organizations interested in applying are encouraged to do so electronically through the Grants and Contributions Online Services portal. Creating an account on this portal is a one-time process that allows organizations to apply for various Employment and Social Development Canada funding opportunities in a secure web environment.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada