Province announces funding for skilled trades, youth employment

The province is launching a new program to help high school students learn about entrepreneurship.

Eric Hoskins, the Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Employment, along with Teresa Piruzza the MPP for Windsor West, announced the creation of Ontario's High School Entrepreneurship Outreach program that will help students from grades 9 to 12 in Windsor on Monday.

The Downtown Business Accelerator Centre is the first recipient of the program's funding. It will receive $171,000 to help students gain experience and skills.

The High School Entrepreneurship Outreach Program is part of Ontario's Youth Jobs Strategy. Overall, the program will provide $5 million across the province.

Manufacturing funding

Hoskins and Piruzza also announced funding for CapsCanada, a pill capsule manufacturer.

CapsCanada will receive $1.5 million through the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund.

"We need to continue to strengthen the competitiveness of Ontario manufacturers," said Hoskins, at the CapsCanada plant.

The money will be used to help expand the plant.

"We wouldn't have been able to go as fast as we did (without provincial funding)," said Dale Martin, the company's General Manager and Chief Financial Officer. Martin also said the funding will help create 35-50 jobs at the plant.

Hoskins on political tension at Queen's Park

During his visit, Hoskins responded to questions about the ongoing tension at Queen's Park over recent allegations related to the ongoing gas plant cancellation scandal.

"We're trying to do the best we can and as much as we can for people across the province," said Hoskins. "My focus is on job creation, so we will continue on that path."

University of Windsor political science professor Lydia Miljan said the timing of the criminal investigation is very problematic for Premier Kathleen Wynne.

She also said PC leader Tim Hudak must be careful in how he attacks the Liberals.

"Certainly Tim Hudak's goal is to take a one-day story and turn it into a five-day story if he can," she said. "It's within his rights to make a big deal of it, but he has to be careful. He doesn't want his statements, and whether or not they're true or not or defamatory, to be the story. He wants it to be an attack on the government."