Feds announce new money for sustainable jobs training as legislation remains in limbo

The Liberal government announced Friday it's earmarking more money for training workers for new green jobs as its Sustainable Jobs Act remains mired in Parliament.

During a virtual news conference on Friday, Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault issued a call for applications for funding under the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund.

The new money — $99 million over four years — is meant to support training projects to allow workers to upgrade or gain new skills as part of the government's plan to reduce carbon emissions.

«Our workers need to be ready. They need to be ready for jobs in green home construction, in retrofitting old buildings to be less emitting and to make sure we're maintaining and repairing electric vehicles,» Boissonnault said.

In order for projects to qualify for funding, they must focus on at least one of three areas: low-carbon energy and carbon management, green building and retrofits, and electric vehicle maintenance and charging infrastructure.

Organizations will have until May 15 to apply for funding. A second call for proposals will be launched May 31 under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, a program that supports skilled trades workers and employers.

While the funding announcement is meant to prepare the workforce for a greener economy, the Sustainable Jobs Act — a bill to support the creation of sustainable jobs and economic growth in a net-zero economy — remains stuck in Parliament.

On Friday, Boissonnault described the bill and the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund as «companion pieces of a broader suite of initiatives on the overall sustainable jobs program.» He said the bill's timeline is in Parliament's hands.

«I know what the timeline is for this fund. It's to get proposals in very shortly, very