Employment Support Program Information - Municipal and Provincial Affairs

The Employment Support Division of the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment (MAE) provides funding to local, community-based sponsors to create short-term employment for workers in rural areas in need of additional hours to become eligible for Employment Insurance benefits. Project sponsors must be local governments or established not-for profit organizations. This includes towns, regional municipalities, Inuit community governments, local service districts, community or economic development organizations and other not-for-project organizations. Below are some general questions to provide information on three Employment Support Programs available for 2019-20.

1. What is the Community Enhancement Employment Program (CEEP)?

The Community Enhancement Employment Program (CEEP) is a provincially-funded program that provides short-term employment. Workers in rural areas are employed by local governments or community organizations for up to 400 hours in order for them to become eligible for Employment Insurance benefits. All individuals hired for projects under CEEP must be currently unemployed and must have obtained at least 20 hours of EI insurable hours prior to applying on a project.

CEEP funding is provided for projects that directly contribute to tourism development, economic development, community/municipal infrastructure, or community services. Projects are also expected to provide skills development opportunities for workers and ongoing benefits to the respective region.

CEEP is an application based program with sponsor applications for 2019-20 due by July 26, 2019. Further information is available at 1-866-508-5500 (toll-free) or on the Department’s website at https://www.gov.nl.ca/mpa/emp-support/ceep.

2. What is the permanent plant closure Fish Plant Worker Employment Support Program?

The permanent plant closure Fish Plant Worker Employment Support Program is a provincially funded, targeted program focused on creating short-term employment for workers from fish plants designated by Government as permanently closed. Workers impacted by these plants can also avail of employment counselling and supports provided by the Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour.

Eligible workers would be employed by local governments and community organizations to work on projects that contribute to tourism development, economic development, community/ municipal infrastructure or community services. The program provides workers with a maximum of one fourteen-week rotation (560 hours) less any insurable hours of employment they have already earned during the current year for the purpose of establishing Employment Insurance benefits.

Once the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources (FLR) identifies a fish plant as permanently closed, MAE will then make contact with the identified plant for a plant worker list which is then used to complete a worker survey. The Department will then reach out to the community in which the impacted plant is located to secure a sponsor.

For information on impacted fish plants for this program please contact; Cory Howell at 729-7736 or CoryHowell@gov.nl.ca or for general program information please contact Rayanne Hibbs at 729-3247 or rayannehibbs@gov.nl.ca.

3. What is the Impacted Fish Plant Worker Program?

The Impacted Fish Plant Worker Program is a $2.5 million provincially funded, targeted program focused on creating short-term employment for workers from fish plants deemed impacted by the downturn in the fishing sector. The Fish Plant Worker Program is being administered by MAE as impacted fish plants are identified by the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources (FLR).

Once a fish plant is identified by FLR, MAE will make contact with the plant to obtain a plant worker list, as well as, reach out to the community in which the plant is located to secure a sponsor. If another sponsor is needed to accommodate the workers of the impacted plant, then MAE will reach out again and pursue projects in other communities tied to those impacted workers. It should be noted, however, that once a worker is assigned to a project, he/she is tied to that project and cannot move from one project to another should another project become established in their own community.

A sponsor applying under the Impacted Fish Plant Worker Program can also apply on the regular CEEP. Under the Impacted Fish Plant Worker Program, workers do not have to have the minimum 20 hours of employment as required under CEEP and can work 420 hours less any insurable hours they have already accumulated in the current year.