Chamber Blog

Dear Business Owner,

The Government of Canada recently made a sudden and unilateral decision to cut $625 million from the Labour Market Transfer Agreement (LMTA) funding that provinces and territories depend on to deliver employment training and support. This has impacted Manitoba’s budget by leaving a permanent $20 million hole for employment and skills training, which will have an adverse effect on many of our businesses.

The Steinbach Chamber of Commerce and Eastman Immigrant Services are deeply reliant on the crucial funding provided by both the federal and provincial governments through the LMTA. The reduction of $625 million in this essential financial support will have significant repercussions on our business community, as it will restrict their capacity to offer necessary training and upskilling opportunities for their employees. Moreover, this cut will severely affect newcomers in Manitoba who depend on IRCC-funded workers for assistance in resume writing, job searching, and securing suitable employment that ensures their and their families’ success.

To illustrate the importance of our services to the business community, here are the statistics on new clients served and new employment clients over the past three years:

New Clients Served:                                    New Employment Clients:

2024: 1368                                                                    2024: 243

2023: 1403                                                                    2023: 177

2022: 655                                                                      2022: 77

Additionally, Canada aims to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024, 500,000 in 2025, and plateau at 500,000 in 2026. These ambitious targets underscore the need for robust support systems to facilitate the successful integration of newcomers. The absence of federal support through the LMTA will significantly hinder our ability to assist newcomers in finding employment in Manitoba, a critical factor for their successful settlement in a new community.

We feel it is our duty to advocate on behalf of both business owners and our increasingly growing population of newcomers to emphasize that this decision will have a serious and adverse impact on our community. We encourage you to also express your concern to our government representatives: kelvin.goertzen@leg.gov.mb.ca, ted.falk.c1@parl.gc.ca

Thank you for your consideration,

Tessa Masi
Executive Director
Steinbach Chamber of Commerce & Eastman Immigrant Services
Ph: 204-326-9566
tessam@steinbachchamber.com