The United Way of Toronto and York Region (UWTYR) and Ministry of Colleges Training and Universities (MTCU) partnered through the Ontario Labour Market Partnership (LMP) program to develop a prototype of jobs pathways involved in delivering community benefits through building the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. The LMP Project Team included the TCBN, Social Research Demonstration Corporation, Toronto Workforce Innovation Group, independent researcher James Nugent, and Toronto Enterprise Fund.
Through the project, TCBN and member community groups, trades training centres and employment agencies designed and tested a path connecting job-seeking residents from historically disadvantaged communities and equity seeking groups into an orientation and (pre)recruitment program for training and dispatch in anticipation of Crosstown jobs. The pathway to Professional Administrative and Technical jobs was also assessed, and the Social Enterprise connection was reviewed.
The Final Report recognizes the value of a community-based intermediary organization that works collaboratively across the workforce development system to link target community residents into training and Crosstown jobs. United Way and a project advisory group has recommended to the Province that such a body be established to support implementing community benefits.