More than $7 million through PrairiesCan will help grow a diverse technology workforce by creating hundreds of jobs in the Calgary region

June 29, 2022 – Calgary, Alberta – PrairiesCan

The Government of Canada is providing support for community-led innovation that creates opportunities for people with diverse talents and abilities to succeed. In and around Calgary, organizations are using collaborative, inclusive approaches to hire more diverse talent that will benefit Alberta’s economy.

Today, the Honourable Daniel Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan, announced a federal investment of more than $7 million for three Calgary-based initiatives, through two programs — the Jobs and Growth Fund, and the Community Economic Development and Diversification Program,

to continue building a socially inclusive economy in the Calgary region and to enable local businesses to harness the abilities and talents of underrepresented Canadians.

• The University of Calgary is receiving $2,649,909 to establish a Social Innovation Hub to support the development and growth of socially-motivated businesses and social enterprises. Services will include specialized programming, access to space, office support, and funding for expert advisors, fellows and internships. Over the next four years, the project is expected to lead to the creation of about 40 high-quality jobs and directly benefit over 220 for-profit businesses and approximately 20 not-for-profit enterprises across Alberta.
• Meticulon Consulting is receiving $1,359,254 to create tools and services to assist companies in hiring neurodiverse youth into technology positions in four locations across Alberta: Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. Alberta businesses will benefit from this initiative through services such as employer toolkits, assessment tools to identify work-readiness, customized training for HR departments, and a digital inclusion network to promote dialogue among participating companies. The project is expected to help create about 100 technology-related jobs and directly benefit approximately 80 businesses.
• NPower Canada is receiving $3,000,000 to expand and scale up its digital entry-level IT skills workforce development program for underrepresented, low-income, and diverse job seekers—including youth, women, racialized and Indigenous people who face barriers to employment. The project is expected to help train approximately 650 participants, create more than 400 jobs and directly benefit about 50 Alberta business.

In total, the initiatives are expected to help create or maintain more than 550 jobs, and assist approximately 370 small and medium-sized businesses to grow and access the talent and skills they need to remain competitive.