The Ontario government is investing $445,252 in a new action centre to provide the 180 workers affected by the closure of Cascades' Trenton and Belleville manufacturing facilities with the services and training they need to quickly get back to work.

“Cascades' decision to close its Trenton and Belleville plants was sad news for the skilled workers employed there and for our entire region, but there remains great opportunity in Quinte's manufacturing sector. I am pleased that our government is standing by these workers and providing them with the training and support they need to find their next job. The Action Centre is an important resource for this process,” said Todd Smith, Member of Provincial Parliament for Bay of Quinte.

The Cascades Action Centre, operated by Unifor, will operate until April 2025 and support displaced workers represented by Unifor Local 1470 and the Independent Paperworkers of Canada Local 7. The Action Centre will host workshops and seminars, provide peer-to-peer support and job search assistance, teach financial management and computer skills, and provide certification training in the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), as well as other short-term training. These tailored resources will help affected workers prepare for other well-paying manufacturing and skilled trades jobs in Eastern Ontario.

“Providing peer support during this difficult transition in workers’ lives offers the best chance of accessing the training they need to find a new job,” said Lana Payne, national president of Unifor.

“The loss of a major employer presents challenges for the entire community and we hope the Action Centre can help to address them.”

By investing more than one billion dollars annually in employment and training services, including Better Jobs Ontario and the Skills Development Fund training programme Among other things, the Ontario government is supporting workers with training to enter well-paying and meaningful careers in the skilled trades. These investments underscore the government's ongoing efforts to attract, support and protect workers to make Ontario the best place to work, live and raise a family.

“Ontario is a world leader in manufacturing and our government stands with workers,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skilled Worker Development. “Our government is investing in the Cascades Action Centre to ensure these workers in Belleville and Trenton have access to resources and opportunities to get better jobs and higher wages for themselves and their families.”