N.S. Liberals unveil training and skills platform, $78M college investment
Liberal Leader Iain Rankin spent Sunday in Sydney, N.S., as he announced the "transformational" skills and training platform his party promises to implement if it wins the upcoming general election.
The platform -- the third plank of the party's overall five-part proposed plan -- is a key segment of his proposal to drive economic recovery and growth as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Rankin said in his home area of Cape Breton.
At the centre of the platform is a nearly $78 million investment in the Nova Scotia Community College over four years to train and educate the province's residents for jobs.
The investment will add 800 new seats to programs in residential construction trades, environmental stewardship and health care and a quarter of them will be at the Marconi Campus in Sydney, which is now being relocated to the community's downtown.
"Its steel mill was a North American leader but times change and we must change too," Rankin said of the community. "We need to energize Sydney and bring back the greatness that we had."
New seats, 6,000 of them, will be added to the college's short courses for skills and certification upgrades.
The new funding will also "modernize" the college's tuition structure, allowing students to pay per course.
"We really want to make sure that with the recovery effort that it's fair and all Nova Scotians really have the opportunity to succeed,"' Rankin said.
Funding under the Liberals will also include $3.75 million over three years to fund 150 co-op placements of four months each, as well as $1.3 million over four years to fund up to 35 projects to help businesses ensure their workplace is equitable and inclusive. Businesses can also expect another $100,000 annually for three years to help the NSCC provide them with training in green technology and digital solutions.
The investment will help connect Nova Scotians with the expertise needed to fill positions in areas including construction, health and information technology, Rankin said.
And the investment is setting aside over $720,000 to the college to provide training in the digital sector to Mi'kmaq and Indigenous students.
The Nova Scotia 41st general election is scheduled for Aug. 17.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The root cause': Canada outlines national action plan to fight auto theft
The federal government is launching what it calls its 'national action plan' to combat auto thefts, which will include stronger penalties for thieves, and increased information sharing between police agencies, government officials and border enforcement.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
The world's best airline is paying staff a bonus of 8 months' salary
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Prosecution rests in Donald Trump’s hush money case. The defence now gets its turn to call witnesses
Michael Cohen testified Monday that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from his ex-boss Donald Trump’s company, an admission defence lawyers hope to use to undermine Cohen’s credibility.
Red Lobster probes 'endless shrimp' losses after bankruptcy filing
U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.
'Next man up': Canucks coach, teammates bracing for Game 7 without Brock Boeser
Questions about how the team is going to handle the absence of star winger Brock Boeser from a do-or-die game seven dominated pre-game interviews with the Vancouver Canucks coach and players Monday morning.
Katy Perry sings goodbye to 'American Idol'
Katy Perry said her goodbyes on 'American Idol' after seven seasons. On Sunday night’s live 'idol' season finale, a medley of Perry's hit songs were performed, including 'Teenage Dream,' 'Dark Horse' and 'California Gurls.'
U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal from former Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by a Canadian-born former Guantanamo detainee who was seeking to wipe away his war crimes convictions, including for killing a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.
Woman, 35, in critical condition after her truck collided with a Via Rail train near Montreal
A 35-year-old woman is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.