Provincial minister Gerry Byrne is extremely concerned that Newfoundland and Labrador will lose it’s $16.8 million dollar allotment through the Workforce Development Funding program.
Until now, the federal government doled out specific amounts to each of the provinces to distribute as they saw fit.
The program provides training and workplace supports to those with disabilities, those on the autism spectrum and a range of other people.
Minister responsible for Immigration, Population Growth and Skills, Gerry Byrne says Ottawa’s intent is to move the funding into national programming, which he says will be to the detriment of Newfoundland and Labrador.
“Generally speaking,” says Byrne, “when the federal government does that, the money goes to Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia.” He believes very little of it will trickle down to Newfoundland and Labrador. He says carving out specific amounts for the provinces allows for “consistence, certainty” and “programming that is really relevant to the province in question.”