THE BC Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction is providing up to $402,105 to the Surrey Board of Trade to deliver a Labour Market Partnership project that will immediately build and support Surrey employer capacity to respond to COVID-19 workforce needs.

With this project, more Surrey employers will have the capacity to manage and respond to workforce challenges and address other COVID-19 related issues. Surrey service providers, the Surrey Board of Trade, employers, and industry groups will be enabled to work together in a more coordinated and collaborative approach on workforce priorities in a real-time, rapid-response structure to help with economic recovery. “The Surrey Board of Trade is honoured and pleased to have received this funding from the BC Government to deliver on a real roadmap to economic recovery for Surrey employers through this pandemic,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade, on Thursday. “Employers need help to develop capacity to be nimble and agile while responding to ever-changing workforce and economic conditions. The Surrey Board of Trade is pleased to continue its support to the business community in Surrey.”

The project commenced on July 27 and will conclude on July 23, 2021.  Project actions include:

• More Surrey employers being prepared and able to respond to the workforce-related impacts and opportunities resulting from the pandemic;

• More Surrey workers impacted by COVID-19 to be connected to re-employment, re-deployment, re-skilling and sustained employment;

• More unemployed members of equity-seeking groups in Surrey becoming employed.

• A real-time Back-to-Work Strategies Playbook that can be adapted and used by other communities and tailored to specific industry sectors;

• Ongoing real-time labour market Intelligence to support employer and service provider decision-making; and,

• Better use of and connections to government supports.

Funding for this and other projects is provided through the Province of BC’s Community and Employer Partnerships (CEP) program. CEP’s goal is to increase employment and work experience opportunities in communities across BC through partnerships, shared information, technology and innovation.