Government increases financial assistance to address short-term employment circumstances

The provincial government has increased the amount of financial assistance available to areas of the province where significant numbers of people who have not been able to find work or enough work to support their families and where entire communities are in distress as a result.

An additional $1.5 million has been made available, Beaton Tulk, Minister of Industry, Trade and Rural Development announced today. The initial amount of $2 million was announced November 14.

"While the additional funding may not address the needs of each and every individual who requires additional work to qualify for employment insurance, it will help address extraordinary short-term needs in selected areas," Mr. Tulk said.

Mr. Tulk thanked MHAs who have worked with government and communities to help ensure that those in greatest need benefit from the resources available. In consultation with MHAs, all the additional funding has been allocated for specific initiatives.

Slower than anticipated cash flow under a federal-provincial economic development agreement has resulted in further savings that have made the additional funding possible. Under the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Comprehensive Economic Development Agreement, some initiatives and projects have not progressed as initially projected, thereby freeing up additional financial resources within the province�s existing budgetary framework.

Minister Tulk said that while the overall employment picture in the province is better now than it�s ever been, there are areas where circumstances justify government intervention, within its fiscal means to do so.

He emphasized that longer-term investments in the economy will provide a more permanent solution, and these will continue to be pursued as part of government�s Renewal Strategy for Jobs and Growth.

A breakdown of the financial assistance by provincial electoral district is as follows:

EMPLOYMENT CREATION INITIATIVES
PROVINCIAL DISTRICTS	TOTAL

Baie Verte	$ 215,000
Bay of Islands	$ 56,000
Bellevue	$ 80,000
Bonavista North	$ 60,000
Bonavista South	$ 165,500
Burgeo and LaPoile	$ 150,000
Burin-Placentia West	$ 253,000
Carbonear-Harbour Grace	$ 120,000
Cartwright-Lanse au Clair	$ 175,000
Conception Bay East and Bell Island	$ 20,000
Exploits	$ 50,000
Ferryland	$ 95,000
Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune	$ 89,000
Gander	$ 20,000
Grand Bank	$ 125,000
Grand Falls-Buchans	$ 63,000
Harbour Main-Whitbourne	$ 54,500
Humber East	$ 30,000
Humber Valley	$ 60,000
Humber West	$ 20,000
Lake Melville	$ 25,000
Lewisporte	$ 80,000
Placentia and St. Mary's	$ 140,000
Port Au Port	$ 100,000
Port de Grave	$ 80,000
St. Barbe	$ 255,000
St. George's - Stephenville East	$ 65,000
Straits and White Bay North	$ 303,000
Terra Nova	$ 70,000
Torngate Mountains	$ 70,000
Trinity - Bay de Verde	$ 115,000
Trinity North	$ 40,000
Twillingate-Fogo	$ 137,000
Winsdsor-Springdale	$ 60,000
TOTAL	$3,441,000