Ontario to fund job programs for people with criminal records

The Ontario government is investing $12 million toward helping people with criminal records find employment.

The money would fund nine projects that could help prepare up to 2,000 job-seekers for careers in construction, manufacturing, hospitality, food and beverage processing and other industries. Specifically, the funding will help 200 people work in the skilled trades in communities in the Toronto area. The programs are set to give apprenticeship and technical training, on-the-job learning, and interview skills.

The initiative is part of Ontario’s $700 million Skills Development Fund, which supports training and skills development in the province.

The government says more than one million people in the province have a criminal record, which decreases their likelihood of getting a job and increases their likelihood of long-term poverty.