In response to a downturn in the 2009
fishing season and employment challenges, the Provincial
Government will provide temporary employment support to
harvesters and plant workers through the Community
Enhancement Employment Program (CEEP).
"We recognize that the fishing
industry in the province has experienced a difficult
year, and are committed to working with harvesters and
plant workers to ensure that they have opportunity to
gain employment," said the Honourable Dianne Whalen,
Minister of Municipal Affairs. "The CEEP program will
provide harvesters and plant workers most in need with
immediate income leading to EI benefits."
The employment assistance initiative
is in response to an unusually difficult year in the
fishing industry, due to a number of factors including
lower landings of certain species, lower fish prices for
species such as lobster and cod, and catch failures in
most areas for lumpfish.
"Because these events have combined to
significantly impact certain small boat harvesters and
plant workers throughout the province, assistance will
be available to harvesters and plant workers
province-wide," said the Honourable Tom Hedderson,
Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. "While we remain
committed to working with industry to address the
long-term sustainability of the fishery, it is important
to deal with the immediate needs of individuals
requiring employment assistance. Additionally, our
government is working with the Fish Food and Allied
Workers (FFAW) to develop a broader program for lobster
harvesters that would access the recently announced
funds by the Federal Government to deal with the
industry structure and viability of the sector."
The Community Enhancement Employment
Program is a provincially-funded, targeted employment
program that creates short-term employment for eligible
participants. The program is administered by the
Department of Municipal Affairs and provides funding to
established community-based organizations to sponsor and
manage employment projects. Support for plant workers
will be to a maximum of 420 hours less any EI insurable
hours already accumulated in 2009. Harvesters with less
than $3,780 in fishing income toward a winter EI claim
will be eligible to participate. Workers will be paid
$9.00 per hour. The estimated cost of this support
initiative will be in the $4 million to $6 million range
depending on the number of individuals who participate
in the program.
"Initial approvals will be based on
CEEP project applications already on file," said
Minister Whalen. "However, given the scale of the
employment need, additional applications will be
considered. We would particularly welcome applications
to improve community fisheries infrastructure."
Other examples of eligible projects
include those related to municipal infrastructure,
tourism initiatives, community health and wellness
programs, facilitating the active participation of
seniors in communities, cultural or natural heritage,
arts and crafts development, restoration of heritage
sites, environmental improvements, aquaculture
infrastructure, agrifoods infrastructure and other
labour-intensive initiatives.
Applications, a guide for completing
an application, and program administration guidelines
can be found at www.gov.nl.ca/ma/cep or may be obtained
by calling the Department of Municipal Affairs at
1-866-508-5500.
"We recognize the challenges
associated with seasonal employment and the challenges
associated with this year�s fishery, and will work to
ensure that individuals requiring short-term employment
have access to employment opportunities as quickly as
possible," said Minister Whalen.
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