New supports for northern youth internships and co-op placements

Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci
News Release

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The McGuinty government is continuing to help young northerners tap future opportunities by investing in career-related internships and work placements across the North, Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci announced today.

“Since 2003, our government has tackled youth out-migration by helping our young people develop their careers and find meaningful employment at home,” said Bartolucci. “Our investments are funding hundreds of job placements in the North and are ensuring the future growth and prosperity of our region.”

Through the Northern Ontario Youth Internship and Co-op Program, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) is investing nearly $4 million in 207 internship and co-op work placements that provide on-the-job training and experience to young northerners seeking to launch and build their careers in the North. Today’s announcement brings the province’s current investment under this program to nearly $11.2 million for 615 placements.

The province has also posted the councils’ recommendations on developing new and better opportunities for young people in Northern Ontario. Based on this work, the province is currently developing a dedicated “one-stop” youth web portal and a comprehensive directory of government services and programs. The research and recommendations resulting from the councils’ consultations last summer will also be used to inform the work underway in developing a Growth Plan for Northern Ontario.

“We have also been able to build on the Northern Development Councils’ recommendations to enhance and refine criteria of programs designed for young people, such as our NOHFC Internship and Co-op Program,” added Bartolucci. “I want to thank the councils and their youth subcommittee and the hundreds of northerners who participated in the northern dialogue for providing invaluable assistance in developing these recommendations.”

Today’s investment is just one more example of how, working together, Ontarians have achieved results in the North. Other examples include:

• Providing more than $2.3 million to date, through the Northern Ontario Young Entrepreneur Program, to help some 105 young people start their own business
• Improving access to health care professionals and providing $6.7 million in bursaries for the students of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine
• Enhancing access to technology by making a $1.7-million investment to develop a network of virtual reality facilities across the North.

These initiatives are part of the government’s Northern Prosperity Plan for building stronger northern communities. It has four pillars: Strengthening the North and its Communities; Listening to and Serving Northerners Better; Competing Globally; and Providing Opportunities for All.

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