Funding Criteria to Support Compliance with the Labour Mobility Chapter

HRDC's interest in labour mobility

Under the terms of the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT), provincial governments and their regulatory bodies are to assess their legislation and other regulatory requirements and policies to ensure that they do not pose barriers to labour mobility. To this end, multi-lateral discussions may need to take place among regulatory bodies and governments from jurisdictions where each occupation is regulated. The obligation to recognize occupational qualifications and reconcile standards could entail new costs for regulatory bodies. Given the federal government's interest in promoting mobility, fostering partnerships in the private sector and assisting groups to develop and/or revise occupational standards, Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) could provide financial assistance, under certain conditions, for activities related to reconciling occupational standards.

HRDC, through the Sectoral Partnerships Initiative (SPI), helps the Canadian private sector address human resources issues, by supporting national partnerships among all labour market players - business, labour, governments, educators and employees. As some of the activities related to meeting the obligations of the labour mobility chapter also require interaction among key labour market partners to address human resource issues, funding through SPI may be possible.

Funding for qualified projects would be provided on a 50-50 cost-sharing basis through the National Sectoral Adjustment Services (NSAS) component of SPI. NSAS is administered by the Human Resources Partnerships Directorate at HRDC's national headquarters.

1. General guidelines

1.1 Who can receive funding?

It is expected that provincial regulatory bodies for each profession will organize themselves to establish mutual recognition agreements and, where necessary, to reconcile differences in their occupational standards. Such a "consortium" could receive funding and must be made up of the following:

• regulatory bodies, or government regulators in those jurisdictions where the occupations are regulated directly by government;
• in jurisdictions where the profession is not regulated, employee representatives from provincial/national professional associations;
• other consortium members as determined by the regulatory bodies or government regulators (i.e. professional associations, unions, employer representatives, educators)

Aside from the consortium members, approval and involvement, as appropriate by the following government representatives is required:

• Provincial/Territorial governments where the occupation is provincially regulated.
• Federal government officials , whose designation would be discussed within HRDC at the proposal development stage.

The consortium members will be asked to demonstrate that they have consulted with professional associations, unions, employer representatives and educators, if they are not directly represented as consortium members.

1.2 What kind of activity would be funded?

Only certain activities related to Annex 708 and Article 708 of the AIT (mutual recognition of occupational qualifications and reconciliation of differences in occupational standards across provinces) would be eligible for funding assistance. The reconciliation process would be undertaken in those cases where mutual recognition cannot be agreed upon at the outset. Consortium members' activities related to steps 1 and 3 (Assessment of Occupation and Reconciliation of Occupational Standards), as outlined on page 15 of the Labour Mobility Guidelines¹, would be eligible for funding. Activities which are eligible for funding assistance could include:

• travel costs of consortium members (not including provincial government members);
• administrative costs (meeting room rental, printing, translation, etc);
• professional fees (for professional facilitator to lead participants through discussions; to compare existing occupational analyses where necessary as a basis for discussions; etc).

HRDC will not share costs incurred directly by provincial governments (i.e. for travel, for new occupational analyses²)..>

2. Guidelines for labour mobility funding proposals

2.1 Proposal format

Consortiums wishing to apply to HRDC for funding should submit a written proposal using the following format:

1. Executive summary of request
   • Provide a brief summary of the labour mobility issue, the proposed approach or work plan, and the anticipated product or result for which Human Resources Development Canada funding is being requested.
2. Overview of occupational group
   • Provide a brief demographic overview of the occupational group(s) that the proposed activity will address (i.e. occupational titles and designations, approximate number of workers, etc).
3. The consortium
   • How/when was the consortium created?
   • Why has it been necessary to create this consortium (i.e. identify unresolved issues)
   • List the composition and/or membership of the consortium. Does this include representation from regulatory bodies in all provinces where the profession is regulated? Is there representation from provincial/national professional associations? Is there representation of employers and worker/professional/trade associations and, if not, how will they be consulted and informed of the outcomes?
   • Describe the proposed chairperson selection process.
4. Proposed activities
   • Provide a rationale/need for the project.
   • State objectives of the activity, as it relates to labour mobility.
   • Provide a detailed work plan, including time frames for the activities.
   • Describe the process to select outside consultants/facilitators, if planning to contract work out.
   • State the anticipated outcomes.
5. Impact of Project
   • What is the anticipated use of the outcomes of the project?
6. The project budget
   • Outline the eligible costs associated with the activity. The HRDC contribution can be up to a maximum of 50% of the total eligible costs.
   • Of the eligible costs, detail which are in-kind³ consortium contributions, which are consortium cash contributions and those for which you are requesting an HRDC contribution.
   • All costs must be at or below current market value.
   • Costs associated with travel expenses must follow Treasury Board guidelines.

2.2 HRDC and provincial contacts

Groups are encouraged to initially discuss their interest in labour mobility funding with officials at HRDC.

All inquiries regarding funding guidelines and/or proposal submissions should be sent to:

Sectorial Partnerships Delivery Division
Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)
Phase 4, Place du Portage
140 Promenade du Portage
Ottawa/Hull K1A 0J9

Questions related specifically to SPD funding proposals should be directed to:

Cynthia Waugh
Phone: (819) 994-4453
Fax: (819) 953-7599

Questions specific to the labour mobility guidelines should be addressed to:

Federal :

Brendan Walsh
Phone: (819) 997-7308
Fax:(819) 953-0519

Mario Rondeau
Phone: (819) 953-0131
Fax:(819) 953-0519

Labour Market Policy
Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)
Phase 4, Place du Portage
140 Promenade du Portage
Ottawa/Hull K1A 0J9

Provincial :

NEWFOUNDLAND

Barry Roberts
Phone:(709) 729-2350
Fax: (709) 729-3669

Director of Industrial Training
Department of Education
Confederation Building, 3rd floor, West Block
P.O. Box 8700
St. John's, Newfoundland
A1B 4J6

Gerald Crane
Phone:(709) 729-1946
Fax:(709) 729-0760

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Lou Dalton
Phone: (902) 368-4465
Fax:(902) 368-6144

Office of Higher Education Training and Adult Learning
105 Rochfort Street, 3rd floor
Shaw Building
P.O. Box 2000
Charlottetown, P.E.I.
C1A 7N8

NOVA SCOTIA

Mark Frison
Phone:(902) 424-8894
Fax:(902) 424-0626

Department of Education and Culture
2021 Brunswick Street,
P.O. Box 578
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2S9

NEW BRUNSWICK

Robert M. Parks
Phone:(506) 453-3940
Fax:(506) 453-3806

Policy Branch / Politique
Department of Advanced Education and Labour
P.O. Box 6000
470 York Street
Fredericton, New Brunswick
E3B 5H1

QUEBEC

Michel Cournoyer
Phone:(514) 873-1892
Fax:(514) 864-4854

Économiste en chef
Direction des études stratégiques
Société québécoise de développement de la main-d'oeuvre
800 Place Victoria, Suite 2900
P.O. Box 100
Montréal, Quebec
H4Z 1B7

ONTARIO

Bruce Baldwin
Phone: (416) 325-1969
Fax:(416) 314-3872

Labour Market Policy,
Planning and Research
Ministry of Education and Training
900 Bay Street
Mowat Block, 8th floor
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1L2

Jacklyn Campbell
Phone:(416) 325-1969
Fax:(416) 314-3872

MANITOBA

Earl McArthur
Phone:(204) 945-0608
Fax:(204) 945-1792

Acting Director
Labour Market Support Services Branch
Advanced Education and Skills Training Division
Manitoba Education and Training
418-185 Carlton Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 3J1

Loris Loewen
Phone:(204) 945-3420
Fax:(204) 945-1792

SASKATCHEWAN

Debby Smith
Phone:(306) 787-6224
Fax:(306) 787-0074

Skills, Training and Employment Services Branch
Education, Training and Employment
Government of Saskatchewan
2220 College Avenue, 5th floor
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4P 3V7

ALBERTA

Norm Kinsella
Phone:(403) 422-0390
Fax(403) 427-0793

Federal/Provincial Activities
Information and Policy Services
Alberta Advanced Education and Career Development
9th floor, Commerce Place
10155-102 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 4L5

Dianne Blum
Phone:(403) 422-0391
Fax:(403) 427-0793

BRITISH COLUMBIA (Co-Chair)

Cindy Williams
Phone:(250) 356-2338
Fax:(250) 952-0705

Manager
Labour Market Initiatives
Ministry of Economic Development
7th floor, 1810 Blanshard Street
PO Box 9327 Stn. Prov. Govt. Victoria, BC
V8W 9N3

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification
Phone:(403) 873-7357
Fax:(403) 873-0200

Career Development
Department of Education, Culture and Employment
Government of Northwest Territories
P.O. Box 1320
Yellowknife, N.W.T.
X1A 2L9

YUKON

Gordon McDevitt
Phone:(403) 667-5131
Fax:(403)667-8555

ADM of Advanced Education
Department of Education
P.O. Box 2703
Whitehorse, Yukon
Y1A 2C6

Ray Famega
Phone:(403) 667-5435
Fax:(403) 667-8555

• ¹Guidelines for meeting the obligations of the Labour Mobility Chapter, Labour Mobility Coordinating Group, FLMM
• ² Funding, under a separate Occupational Standards Agreement could be provided for consortiums interested in conducting new occupational analyses.
• ³ In-kind contributions include contributions where indirect costs are associated with the activity, but where no money was paid out. These can include items related to:
  • consortium operations (meeting room/equipment rental) which are legitimate, documented and costed out;
  • non-governmental members time/wages (normally limited to a maximum of $400/day for a full-day meeting).

• Full text of paper in PDF format