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March 12, 2015 - 7:00 AM
VICTORIA - B.C. says it plans to invest $24.5 million over the next five years to help single parents receiving government assistance train for new jobs.
Labour Minister Shirley Bond says the Single Parent Employment Initiative will allow parents to stay on assistance for one year while training for a new jobs.
Bond says the program also covers tuition and education costs for approved training programs, transportation costs to and from school, and full child-care costs during the job-training period.
Social Development Minister Michelle Stilwell says more than 16,000 single parents receiving income and disability assistance are eligible for the program's supports.
She says the program represents a significant social shift for the Liberal government, which announced earlier this week increases to the monthly earning exemptions for families with children receiving income assistance.
Children and Family Development Minister Stephanie Cadieux says the program aims to help single parents receive the training they need to provide them with better lives for their families
News from © The Canadian Press, 2015