ASSINIBOIA - The Assiniboia and District Chamber of Commerce held their latest Lunch n’ Learn at Canalta on January 27. Their speaker, a Service Canada representative, joined by Zoom.
“My role,” she said, “is to liaise with community and increase awareness of our programs.” Some of the programs for employers on the Service Canada website include Record of Employment on the Web; Employment Insurance Premium Reduction Program; Employment Insurance benefits for self-employed; Grants and Contributions; Youth Employment and Skills Strategy; and Canada Summer Jobs, to name a few.
Laurie Stianson, a member of the Chamber, and representing Southeast College, remarked: “I didn’t realize how vast and extensive the website was.”
Regarding ROE, the rep urged employers to take note of specific information. “An ROE is mandatory to issue when employees stop working. Go to Canada.ca and click on Employment Insurance and then EI for employers.” She added, “One of your responsibilities as an employer is to advise employees to register for benefits as soon as possible.”
Grants and Contributions information was highlighted. “Go to Canada.ca, look for ESDS under Government Departments and Agencies. From there, look for Funding Programs. They are government grants that help support jobs, (such as Summer Jobs for Students), training, and social development. You will see current grants, annual ones, and their deadlines. Click on one that you’re interested in. It will show you how to apply and will provide screening for eligibility.”
“The Business Benefits Finder is a valuable tool that helps you find the right programs and services whether you’re starting out or scaling up.” Also the Job Bank for Employers has resources to help employers tailor their recruitment and find suitable candidates for jobs.
Residents can call the Employer Contact Centre at 1-800-367-5693 to answer any questions they have regarding any of the employer programs or complete an online service request form at Canada.ca/service-canada-e-service to have a Service Canada Representative call them.
Lunch n’ Learns are held monthly, and sponsored by local businesses. This Lunch n’ Learn was sponsored by the Town of Assiniboia. Residents who are interested in attending, can visit assiniboiadistrictchamber.ca or call 306-642-5553 for more information. The cost is only $5 for members.
New members are always welcome. The Chamber’s mission is to generate more business activity for the district.
Lori Crighton, Branch Librarian of Assiniboia and District Public Library said, “I found the Lunch n’ Learn beneficial, especially if I ever need to find information related to job banks, job descriptions, or job training.”
“Learning the variety of grants and programs that Service Canada offers was helpful today,” said Kerri Martin, Director of Corporate Services with the Town of Assiniboia.
The next Lunch n ’Learn is on February 24th when the Civic Improvement Association will give an update on the Assiniboia Recreation Complex.
The Chamber of Commerce Trade Show will be on April 22 and 23.
Business owners can download an application from their Facebook page.
