N.S. Liberals Promise To Grow Labour Force With $69-Million Investment
HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia Liberals are pledging to invest a substantial amount of money into Nova Scotia Community College should they form the government after the August election.
Iain Rankin’s party is promising to spend $69-million over the next four years in the NSCC to feed more skilled workers into the labour force. Rankin says the investment is needed because there is a huge shortage of workers in some booming sectors within Nova Scotia.
“There are (shortages) in skilled trades for construction, healthcare, technology…there are a number of sectors that need more training, and this is an area that is a good investment to ensure that we’re preparing Nova Scotians for the right skills for the jobs of tomorrow,” said Rankin in an interview with Huddle Today.
“If you talk to construction companies, they are in need of a supply of trained workers.”
Part of the money will be used to increase enrollment for courses in high-demand sectors; adding a total of 800 seats. Of those 800 seats, 400 will be used for health-related fields, including 270 new seats for licensed practical nurses.
The Liberals would also be creating 6,000 more seats for “micro-credential programs” and credentials in areas like smart homes and green design.
The Liberals believe that having more skilled tradespeople in the province will also help alleviate the housing crisis. Rankin says having more skilled workers in the construction industry means more residential units can be built in a timely manner.
“There is an extreme need for the more building of housing to meet the population growth that we’re seeing in the province…these are high-paying careers, so it is an economic opportunity,” said Rankin.
Rankin says a portion of the NSCC funding will also be used to make courses at the NSCC more accessible to a diverse group of people. The funding will allow the Pathways program to double from 500 to 1,000 seats “to create opportunities for upgrading for diverse and equity-seeking communities,” according to a Liberal Party press release.
People who only want to take courses part-time would also have an easier time attending the NSCC. The Liberals say they will change the tuition format so people can pay based on their course load, rather than paying per semester or per year.
“We are also making it more affordable, especially for those that are taking these courses part-time or they need more flexibility,” said Rankin. “So, we’re switching the model of tuition that’s fairer, and allowing for a per-course fee rather than it is right now by year.”
But $69-million is a lot of money for a province coming out of the economic hardships of a pandemic, and which needs more investment in key areas, such as healthcare. But Rankin claims this NSCC funding will create an economic spinoff that will generate economic revenue for Nova Scotia.
“It will actually help us stimulate that economic growth that will allow us to have more revenue for those core services like healthcare. So, this is why this investment is important…” Said Rankin
“We’ve been able to manage the pandemic better than most, if not all provinces because of our strong fiscal position leading into the pandemic because of our four balanced budgets in a row.”
More Money for Equipment and Technology
The Liberals are also pledging to revamp a previous government program that gives rebates to businesses that update their old equipment and technology.
In this $45-million pledge, eligible businesses would receive a 25 percent rebate on their upgrades up to a maximum of $15-million. The goal of the program is to see Nova Scotian producers remain competitive in the global market, and promote upgrading to greener technology.
“It speaks to ensuring that our sectors, like manufacturing, are more competitive,” said Rankin.
“That’s what it’s about-more productive, more efficient, and doing better for the environment by reducing admissions.”
Under the previous program launched in 2017, Rankin says farmers, drywall manufacturers, and shipbuilders were just some of the businesses that benefited from the rebates.
Should the Liberals form government again, Rankin is hoping the program will also help more food and beverage manufactures in Nova Scotia.
“Food security will be an important part of the economy here. So agri-foods and beverages have accessed combined funding of over $35-million from this program (in the past).”