Northern Development and Mines minister Tim Hudak was in Fort Frances on Monday to reward the Rainy River District Social Service Administration Board with a $25,000 cheque for exceeding last year’s workfare placement target.
The province had set a target of 30 job placements for those enrolled in the local “Ontario Works,” which was exceeded by 25 with a total of 55 successful placements.
The province provides $1,000 for each additional placement.
“I like to boast about how well you’ve done in Northwestern Ontario,” said Hudak. “We want to give you some incentives to keep doing a good job.
“The northern municipalities have done very well receiving those incentives,” he noted.
The money must be re-invested in the local “Ontario Works” program to help those on welfare, provide assistance to vulnerable children, support the homeless, or to enhance child care.
“We have actually not decided yet where it will go,” said Shelley Shute, director of “Ontario Works” and child care.
The workfare placement target for 2000-2001 will be higher.
“This year’s target will be based on a percentage and it will be 22.5 percent of our case load with mandatory requirements–roughly 45 placements,” Shute noted.
The province is requiring more and more people on welfare to seek employment. In 1999-2000, 199 people used “Ontario Works” in Rainy River District.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
