Social Development and Economic Security

Job Wave partnership wins three ways

13/01/2000

VICTORIA - Business and government agree, the best social safety net is a job, Moe Sihota, minister of social development and economic security, said today.

"Job Wave is a partnership between the B.C. Chamber of Commerce and this government to find jobs for people applying for BC Benefits," said Sihota. "Business has the expertise to make this work, and we're pleased to have the B.C. Chamber of Commerce on board for this innovative pilot program."

"Employers win because we'll have access to thousands of potential employees ready to get to work," said John Winter, president of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce. "The chamber represents 30,000 small businesses, many of whom are eager to hire new workers."

"Small businesses already employ half of all B.C. workers," said Ian Waddell, minister of small business, tourism and culture. "Through this program, workers applying for BC Benefits can be assisted to find jobs quickly, and to succeed in this growing sector of the economy."

"People applying for BC Benefits win because they'll have a better chance of getting back into the labour market quickly," said Sihota. "Taxpayers win because this pilot program is funded through savings to the BC Benefits budget."

The West Coast Group, a small-business-sector employment agency associated with the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, is administering Job Wave. The agency will use the chamber's small-business network across the province to recruit employers. It will find jobs for participants and when they are in a job, it will continue to support them to stay employed for 19 months.

The agency will be paid based on its performance. It will not be paid until the participant gets a job and is off income assistance. The longer participants remain employed, the more the agency will earn, and, in turn, the more the ministry will save. Job Wave aims to employ 7,000 people over the 2-year pilot program.

"The ministry's experience tells us about two-thirds of BC Benefits applicants are job-seeking workers," said Sihota. "People don't want welfare - they want a job. This pilot program responds to the needs of our applicants to get jobs, advance in the workplace and achieve long-term economic security."

Job Wave is one component of the jobs partnership program pilot that will also include a partnership with the tourism sector, another engine of growth in B.C.'s expanding economy. The program will be evaluated regularly. If the pilot meets expectations, the government will save $114 million in BC Benefits payments. The net savings to taxpayers will be $51 million.

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Contact: Marisa Adair Manager, Media Relations (250) 387-1412

Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security news releases are available on the Internet at http://www.sdes.gov.bc.ca