New initiative to provide opportunities for Aboriginals in Canada

Originally published in Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

With the recent downturn in the economy, it has been difficult for a number of Canadians to find work. Aboriginal people, however, are among a few select groups that are finding it especially hard. In a study conducted by Statistics Canada, between 2008 and 2009 the average employment rate fell faster for off-reserve Aboriginal people than for non-Aboriginal people. As a result, the gap in employment rates between the two groups widened from 3.5 percentage points in 2008 to 4.8 in 2009.

In response, a number of government and private agencies have been working together on projects that will remedy the situation. There are now 34 federal departments and private agencies currently involved in Aboriginal and northern programs and services. The most recent agency is the Contaminates Remediation Training Organization of Canada (CRTOC).

The CRTOC was created in 2009, when a consortium of Aboriginal organizations and businesses, post-secondary Institutions, private sector businesses and the environmental sector council of ECO Canada, came together  to help increase employment within the Aboriginal population through environmental training. Funded in part by the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership program (ASEP), through Human Resources Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), CRTOC set out to promote long-term employment of Aboriginal residents in the contaminated sites remediation sector. 

With over 18,000 contaminated sites listed on the Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory and only a few training facilities with limited resources, the CRTOC was a well-received resource for northern communities. Currently, many remediation sites are using specialized trades people from the south to carry out a portion of the work. But with help from CRTOC, and the development of new courses and better training, local populations are now carrying out projects from start to finish.  

CRTOC has been working across northern Canada since June 2010, to provide 50% of the funds for formal and on-the-job training. So far, 13 programs have received funding, including two major partners in Yellowknife, the Det’on Cho Training and Conference Centre, and Aboriginal Engineering Ltd. Also, to assist in the transition from training to employment, CRTOC has hired job coach, Candy Brown, who has been involved in helping people find jobs for over 30 years. “My advice to anyone who is looking for work is to take advantage, and take a chance whenever an opportunity to enhance your skills comes along” says Brown.

Which is exactly what residents in the north have done. The Det’on Cho Training and Conference Centre has already received around 100 applicants from all over the Northwest Territories residents who want to be a part of their new drilling and blasting program. However, this program only accepts 14 students at a time. “It is the first drilling and blasting course in the north and fills a void in the skill sets of many of these workers. Given the prominence of mining and oil and gas exploration in the NWT, it is long overdue,” says Vince Halushka, Director of Training at Det’on Cho, who spent 18 months seeking funding for the program.

Not all training facilities were looking to start a new program, but rather needed funds to allow hands-on training within a course.

When Aboriginal Engineering Ltd. (AEL) first approached CRTOC, the company had been searching for resources for their Colomac Remediation Project Training Program. With support from CRTOC, AEL was able to enhance the training so that those showing sufficient motivation, skill and commitment would be equipped to go on to new opportunities once the Colomac site was cleaned up.  

"The CRTOC encourages employers and the Aboriginal community to work together to develop a competent workforce for the future,” says Grant Trump, President and CEO of ECO Canada. “The skills and knowledge acquired by the Aboriginal participants will be transferable to other sectors of the economy when the contaminated sites activities have been completed.”  

To find out more about the CRTOC program email crtoc@eco.ca or call (403)233-0748.