Municipal Affairs
October 21, 2010
Employment Projects Available for Port Union Fish Plant Workers
The Provincial Government is providing $275,000
through the Community Enhancement Employment Program (CEEP) for
employment support to assist fish plant workers displaced as a result of
hurricane Igor damage to the Ocean Choice fish processing plant in Port
Union .
"The Community Enhancement Employment Program is in
place to provide support to individuals requiring short-term employment,
and who require work to qualify for Employment Insurance," said the
Honourable Kevin O'Brien, Minister of Municipal Affairs. "In response to
unique hurricane-related employment concerns for workers in the Port
Union fish plant, six projects have been identified for individuals
requiring immediate employment. These
projects have been approved,
and meetings were held on Wednesday with project sponsors to ensure that
projects begin as quickly as possible. The projects will be located in
towns where those individuals affected by the plant closure live, and
will include town hall renovations, improvements to a municipal park,
upgrades to a walking trail, improvements to a picnic area and upgrades
to a community pasture."
The Community Enhancement Employment Program provides
funding to established community-based organizations to sponsor and
manage employment projects. Workers can be employed for up to 420 hours
in order to become eligible for Employment Insurance benefits. It is
anticipated that 112 workers from the fish plant in Port Union are
eligible for employment under this program.
"We anticipate that project sponsors will have work
started as early as Monday of next week, and our government will
continue to work with project sponsors and those affected to ensure that
every opportunity is made available for employment," said Minister
O'Brien.
- 30 -
Media contact:
Heather MacLean
Director of Communications
Department of Municipal Affairs
709-729-1983, 697-4137
heathermaclean@gov.nl.ca
2010 10 21
11:25 a.m. |
