Province Launches Initiative to Get Manitoba Back to Work This Summer

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Business Hiring Program Offers Incentive for Employers to Hire and Rehire Workers Post-Pandemic: Pallister

The Manitoba government is launching a new hiring program to get more Manitobans back to work this summer and ease the road to economic recovery for businesses, Premier Brian Pallister announced today.

 

“We appreciate our many local businesses that temporarily closed their doors, reduced capacity or changed the way they operate in order to help flatten the COVID-19 curve and follow provincial public health orders,” said Pallister. “Those closures and changes come at a cost to businesses, and we want to ease their road to recovery by covering half the wages paid to designated employees over a period of up to 10 weeks this summer.”

 

The new ‘Manitoba Back to Work This Summer’ initiative is a hiring program to help Manitoba-based businesses rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers can apply to receive funding for up to five employees hired or rehired after June 18. The program will reimburse 50 per cent of the total wages paid from June 18 until Aug. 30, to a maximum of $5,000 per worker and $25,000 per business.

 

“The reopening of our economy depends on businesses getting back up and running, and we encourage private-sector employers to bring back laid-off employees or take on new hires,” said Pallister. “The Manitoba Back to Work This Summer initiative provides financial flexibility to help businesses through this difficult time and address short-term challenges, while they build toward full capacity and long-term success.”

 

The Manitoba government has a total of $120 million available for this initiative and the Manitoba Summer Student Jobs Recovery Program, which assists private and non-profit employers hire students to help meet organizational needs during the pandemic. Employers can apply for a total five funded positions combined between both programs. To date, the Manitoba Summer Student Recovery Jobs Plan has received more than 1,400 applications from employers for more than 3,200 jobs and over $16 million in supports. 

 

Businesses can learn more about this and other government programs at www.manitoba.ca/supportsforbusiness. The application form will be available next week with a deadline of Aug. 30. Upon proof of wages paid, successful applicants will receive a lump-sum payment as reimbursement for wages paid and employees hired on or after the application date.

 

Businesses can apply to receive funding for all positions filled by workers legally entitled to work in Canada, including students, with the exception of the employer’s immediate family members. Employers cannot receive funding for any position subsidized by other government programs.

 

Charities, not-for-profit organizations and public-sector employers are ineligible for this particular program as the province recently introduced the Non-Profit Summer Student Incentive Grant. Intake began June 16 and provincial staff is currently reviewing approximately 300 funding applications.

 

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