Ontario to set up dedicated jobs hotline for Ukrainians fleeing war

Ontario will set up a dedicated jobs hotline to connect employers with individuals fleeing war-torn Ukraine, according to the province's minister of labour.

The hotline will enable employers and unions to inform the province as to what jobs are available as well as how many employees they require. Minister Monte McNaughton said that individuals coming to Ontario from Ukraine will then be connected with "jobs that are in demand."

He said the hotline will be set up "in the coming days."

"Hundreds of employers have stepped up. Dozens of labour leaders have stepped up. We now have more than 30,000 jobs waiting for Ukrainians when they come here," McNaughton told reporters at a news conference in OttawaTuesday morning.

"Certainly, the federal government is working every day to get people out of Ukraine here. Our job is to ensure we are here for the Ukrainian people when they get here, ensure we have translators available, that we have jobs available, that we have places for them to live when they get here, and its all hands on deck to make the transition as smooth as possible."

McNaughton's comments come a few weeks after Premier Doug Ford said he wanted to fast-track Ukrainian refugees to the province, and promised that jobs and settlement services will be available.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Ford reiterated his support for the Ukraine people, saying that over 200 companies have come forward with jobs for potential refugees.

"Our goal is to make sure they have safe haven when they come here and we'll make sure that that happens," he said.

"I guess the federal government's job is to get them here. Once they're here, they'll be well taken care of, not only within the Ukrainian community, but from everyone in Ontario."

Few other details have been provided so far about the type of jobs that will be made available.

While in Ottawa, McNaughton also announced a more than $13 million investment into free training and paid electricians' apprenticeships, something he said would help more than 2,500 people find jobs. The investment will fund nine projects across Ontario.

“When you have a job as an electrician, you have an in-demand job for life,” he said in a statement.

The funding is part of Ontario's $200 million Skills Development Fund.