Job Opportunities Program
Frequently Asked Questions
This page contains answers to questions about the
Job Opportunities Program.
General
Q. What is the purpose of the Job Opportunities Program?
A. The Job Opportunities Program was created to assist laid-off resource workers by funding short-term (up to six months) work in or near resource-dependent communities.
Q. For how long is the program in effect and when can I apply?
A. The program was announced in
spring 2008 as a three-year initiative. The
application period for 2009/10 project proposals
ended July 24, 2009. No announcement has been made
about a possible future application period.
Q. Why is the program not currently accepting applications?
A. The application period for
2009/10 project proposals ended July 24, 2009.
Sufficient applications were received to use all of
the funding available for the year.
Q. When will there be another application period?
A. An announcement on any
future application period will occur after
government has made its budget decisions for
2010/2011. When information is available on this, it
will be posted to this web site.
Q. I am an unemployed resource worker and want to apply for
work through the Job Opportunities Program. Who can I contact?
A. Hiring for projects funded by the Job Opportunities Program is carried out individually by each organization that is funded. Many B.C. communities have an employment office that may be able to provide you with information about Job Opportunities Program job opportunities. This web site includes a regularly updated
Project Status Update
[pdf, 28KB], which lists current approved projects and identifies project recipients. You can contact funded organizations directly or watch for calls for employees in your community through the local news or job notices at employment centres, post offices, and local government offices
Q. Can Job Opportunity
Program funds be used proactively to help reduce the
impact of expected resource sector change, or are
they limited to projects launched after layoffs have
already taken place?
A. The program is aimed at
helping people who are already unemployed. It has
been designed to create job opportunities in
resource-dependent communities that have experienced
significant economic and social impacts due to
market conditions. It is focused on reducing the
impact of job loss on these communities and helping
maintain a pool of skilled workers available for the
future upturn in the economy.
Q. Are the Job Opportunities Program and the Forests for
Tomorrow program linked?
A. The Job Opportunities
Program and Forests for Tomorrow are two separate
programs. However, it is possible for Forests for
Tomorrow recipients to apply for Job Opportunities
Program funding for work related to an existing
Forests for Tomorrow project, as long as your
intention is to fund new jobs and all Job
Opportunities Program rules are followed.
Q. Who can apply to the program?
A. Applications are not
currently being accepted. During the previous
application period, the Job Opportunities Program
accepted applications from resource-dependent
communities or organizations working in cooperation
with a resource-dependent community. Individual
resource workers may contact project recipients for
job opportunities once they begin hiring after
receiving funding approval.
Q. Where in the province can eligible activities be
carried out?
A. Activities can be completed
in any area of the province, on publicly owned and
crown land. Projects on private land are not
eligible. A proposal is more likely to be successful
if it involves work in an area where there is a high
proportion of resource jobs lost since May 2007 and
a high level of dependence on the resource sector.
Q. Can First Nations submit project proposals to the
Job Opportunities Program?
A. Yes, First Nations are
eligible to submit project proposals. All
applications are assessed using the same
Job
Opportunities Program Selection Criteria.
Q. Do all project activities need to be listed among
the program’s Eligible Work Activities?
A. Silviculture,
protection, restoration, range and other activities
on the list are well suited to employing a crew for
an appropriate length of time to meet Job
Opportunities Program objectives. However,
applicants were permitted to apply for a project
involving other activities, as long as they were on
public or Crown land and not associated with a
business venture or licence-holder obligation.
Unemployed resource workers should be able to do the
work safely and effectively with a minimal amount of
training. Ideally, ‘tail-gate’ training is all that
should be necessary.
Q. How much money can an applicant get from the
program?
A. There was no fixed limit on
the dollar amount that could be requested in a
project proposal, as this depends on the extent of
local need, the benefits of the proposed project and
the number of unemployed resource workers who would
receive employment. Project costs must be comparable
to historical costs of carrying out similar work
activities.
Q. Does the Job Opportunities Program fund the full
amount of workers’ wages or is it limited to just providing a wage subsidy?
A. The entire amount of worker’s
wages can be covered by program funding, as long as
the proposed pay levels are within program
guidelines, given the skills, knowledge and
experience required to do the job.
The program is not a wage subsidy program. It is in
place in order to provide short-term employment to
unemployed resource workers in resource-dependent
communities affected by current market conditions.
Q. I submitted a project proposal and I have not yet
had a response. Why not?
A. There may be delays in
reviewing project proposals due to the large number
received. You will be notified to confirm that the
program has received your proposal. Response times
may vary, but program staff will try to respond
within several weeks to either request further
information or notify you of approval or rejection
of your proposal.
Q. If we use money from one program (e.g. Forest
Investment Account) to help fund a proposed Job Opportunities Program project,
will that increase our chance of being approved? Can we partner with other
programs?
A. The program is looking
for projects that bring the greatest benefit to
resource-dependent communities and unemployed
resource workers throughout the province. All
project proposals are assessed using the
Job
Opportunities Program Selection Criteria. Those
criteria do include matching dollars, resources,
leveraging and synergies with related programs
and/or projects.
Q. Where can I find out which Job Opportunities
Program projects have been approved?
A. A regularly-updated
Project Status Update
[pdf, 28KB] document is available at the
program’s web site. It includes information on
current projects that have been approved.
Q. How soon after my project is approved will I
receive funding?
A. The program tries to
enter into an agreement and provide funding within
two weeks of receiving ministerial approval.
Q. If I receive Job Opportunities Program funding, am
I limited to hiring displaced and unemployed resource workers?
A. Yes, the program is
designed to assist laid-off resource workers and
their resource-dependent communities, which have
experienced significant social and economic impacts
due to market conditions. The Job Opportunities
Program provides unemployed resource workers with
short-term employment and you are expected to notify
unemployed resource workers in the project area of
upcoming Job Opportunities Project employment
opportunities.
Q. My Job Opportunities Program project proposal has
been approved. How do I go about recruiting unemployed resource workers to do
the work?
A. Successful applicants
are encouraged to use one or more of the following
approaches to notify unemployed resource workers of
potential work:
- Contact an employment agency or employee
assistance centre in the community.
- Post an advertisement at local mills, union
halls, the post office, municipal or district
office, or in the local newspaper.
- Ask a community web site to post information
on the project and the number of workers you
need to hire.
Q. My proposal was approved but now I have found that
my project has changed. What happens now?
A. Once a project proposal
is approved, an agreement is signed between the
recipient and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). You must
contact PwC to request any amendments to the project
you wish to make after the agreement has been signed
and funding provided.
Q. Will my project be audited once it is up and
running?
A. Yes. PwC and the
Ministry of Forests and Range audit projects once
work is underway. Audits include a review of work
activities undertaken, eligibility of workers, your
budget and other matters PwC and the ministry
consider to be relevant.
Q. If my project proposal is not approved, can I
appeal?
There is an appeal process in place for the Job
Opportunities Program in cases where you believe an error has been made. First,
however, it is a good idea to discuss the criteria on which your project
proposal was reviewed. You can do this by contacting Job Opportunities Program
staff by email (jop@gov.bc.ca) or by telephone (1-877-556-2748).
If those discussions do not resolve the issue, you may appeal a decision within
30 days. Your appeal must be in writing and must include a description of the
error you believe has been made and any supporting documentation that was not
available to be submitted to us at the time of your application. Send your
appeal to:
Tracey Thompson, Executive Director
Community Development Trust
PO Box 9595 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9K4
For more information about the Job Opportunities Program:
For more information about the Community Development Trust:
- 1-877-238-8882 from B.C. communities outside Victoria
- 250-387-5349 from Victoria
- email: cdt@gov.bc.ca
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