Province Thanks Workers on Labour Day

TORONTO — Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, issued the following statement to mark Labour Day:

“Today, and every day, we pay tribute to the hardworking men and women who keep Ontario moving.

Workers are – and always have been – the backbone of our province. You are heroes, building the roofs over our heads, putting food on our tables, and caring for the most vulnerable in our communities.

And after two and a half years of the pandemic, now more than ever, we owe you a debt of gratitude.

To build a stronger Ontario that works for everyone, our government is leading the way with historic changes that rebalance the scales and put more workers in the driver’s seat of their careers, and their lives.

We are bringing healthcare and dental benefits to millions of part-time and precarious workers, cracking down on the exploitation of domestic and temporary foreign workers, introducing foundational rights for those in the gig economy, and reforming the occupational illness system.

We are also improving our employment services to give a hand up to those on social assistance, young people, and newcomers, and investing more than $1 billion to get more men and women into rewarding careers in the skilled trades.

But across our province, nearly 400,000 jobs continue to go unfilled. This generational labour shortage is holding back our economy and raising costs for families.

Each unfilled job is a paycheque waiting to be collected and a path to a better life. This is why, under the leadership of Premier Doug Ford, our government is continuing to invest in innovative training programs that give workers the skills needed for new in-demand careers.

Because meaningful work provides a sense of purpose. It builds stronger families and better communities.

In the coming months, our government has an ambitious Plan to Build. We will be taking further action to ensure Ontario is a province where hard work pays off and big dreams come true.

As I have always said, the only way we can spread opportunity and better jobs to every corner of our province is by working together – with labour, government, and business.

So, as we thank all our workers today, we also renew our mission to make Ontario the best place to live, work and raise a family.”