Feds contribute to trucking R&R project in Quebec
OTTAWA -- Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn has announced funding for a trucking recruitment and retention program at Laval University. The Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec says the governmnet will kick-in $100, 000 to the Labour-Management Partnerships Program, which will study "innovative solutions to recruitment and retention problems in the trucking industry." "The trucking industry is a critical part of the Canadian economy. It is crucial that industry vacancies be addressed through improved recruitment and retention practices," said Blackburn. "The University of Laval will bring key stakeholders together to begin a dialogue on how the current situation can be improved." More specifically, this project will document the labour shortage in the trucking industry, and organize a workshop that will bring together labour unions and employers to discuss the issue and develop a practical guide for recruiting and retaining qualified employees. The Labour Management Partnerships Program (LMPP) is a national contribution program administered by the Labour Program, Human Resources and Social Development Canada.