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Jobs platforms

Here's what the candidates in District 19: Borden - Kinkora, and their parties, are promising.

Agriculture

PC

  • Keep agricultural land in food production
  • Support healthy soils initiatives
  • Make provincially-owned land available for community gardens

    "Make provincially-owned land available for organizations to operate community gardens" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

  • Promote local food products

    "Promote local food products and support community based promotional campaigns for our products from land and sea" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

  • Explore controlled-environment and indoor farming

    "Support the agriculture sector by exploring controlled-environment farming and indoor farming through state-of-the-art greenhouses, tunnels, hydroponics and enhanced storage and refrigeration" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

  • Modernise the Agricultural Insurance Corporation
  • Support expanding the solar programme for farms and making three-phase power more widely available

    "Support green farming initiatives including expanding the solar program for farms and making three-phase power more widely available to rural businesses and farms that contribute to our primary industries" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

  • Support mental health services for farmers
  • Support green farming initiatives
  • Support diversification of crops to prepare for climate change

Green

  • Create industry-specific employee support programmes and emergency management plans for extreme weather events
  • Promote carbon credit markets in agriculture and aquaculture

    "Promote the development of carbon credit markets in agriculture and aquaculture, so we can pay farmers and fishers for sequestering carbon." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-20

  • Improve worker retention during slower periods

    "Review labour programs to improve worker retention during slower periods. This could include bridging programs, job sharing, advocating for changes to EI eligibility, and other initiatives." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-20

  • Increase funding to agricultural emissions and environmental impact reduction programmes

    "Increase funding to the Agriculture Stewardship Program, Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) program, and other initiatives to help reduce emissions and environmental impacts (e.g. precision agriculture, planting hedgerows)." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-20

  • Explore lease-to-own models, tax incentives for purchasing land collectively, and interest-free loans for new farmers
  • Create a demo project to explore adding solar panels to fields

    "Create an agri-voltaics demonstration project to explore the potential of combining farming with solar panels in the same field and create a new revenue stream for Island farmers." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-20

  • Make land ownership and purchases more transparent

    "In order for Islanders to have confidence that the Lands Protection Act is being properly enforced it is important for land ownership and purchases to be transparent. A Green Government will explore various avenues to increase transparency including:

    ● Releasing the report on the Brendel Farms land purchase.

    ● Giving IRAC the final decision on land purchases, instead of Cabinet, and increasing the transparency of IRAC’s decisions and investigations.

    ● Making the registry of deeds online and searchable.

    ● Introduce a Land Ownership Transparency Act, as was done in British Columbia." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-14

  • Classify agricultural and forestry land as resource land

    "Classify agricultural and forestry land as resource land to protect it from poorly planned development and keep farmland in production." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-20

  • Shift to crops and varieties that reduce the need for inputs, such as fertilizers
  • Adopt low and no-till practices

NDP

  • Protect and expand supply management

    "Protect and expand supply management, to ensure farmers are fairly compensated and able to cover production costs." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

  • Create a new regenerative agricultural network

    "Create jobs for workers, opportunities for farmers and sustainability for PEI agriculture with a new Regenerative Agricultural Network." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

  • Increase support for using organic and sustainable practices

Gig and contract workers

PC

  • Provide insurance for health, dental, and medications for part-time, seasonal, contract, and gig workers

    "Create a Portable Health Benefits Program to provide health, dental, and medication insurance for workers who may not be employed full-time, year-round, or those facing barriers to insurance coverage like seasonal workers, contract employees, and gig economy workers." — peipc.ca, 2023-03-10

NDP

  • Ensure all workers, regardless of job, can qualify for benefits such as overtime, sick days, and holidays

    "Bringing in legislation to ensure that all workers, regardless of job, can qualify for benefits such as overtime, sick days and holidays." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

  • Hold companies responsible for the health and safety of employees hired through temp agencies

    "Standing up for gig and contract workers, holding companies responsible for the health and safety of employees hired through temp agencies." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Minimum wage

We don't have any PC policies on Minimum wage.

Green

  • Immediately increase the minimum wage to $15.20
  • Increase the minimum wage by at least $1/year until it reaches a living wage
  • Start a basic income pilot project, and advocate for financial support from the federal government for a full UBI programme

"A living wage was estimated a few years ago at around $19-$20 an hour. With recent inflation this is likely now around $21-$22 per hour.

Raising the minimum wage by $1 per year would be much more rapid than increases in recent years. It would likely be well ahead of inflation, thus closing the gap more every year. We would aim to have minimum wage catch up to the living wage in about 5 years.

One of their main challenges of minimum wage increases for businesses is that they have little time to adjust and plan for their labour costs. Currently, government gives businesses approximately 6 months notice for minimum wage increases. Having a clear plan on what minimum wage increases will be coming over the next several years will provide much more predictability for businesses and allow them to plan ahead for how they will meet their labour costs." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-10

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NDP

  • Increase the minimum wage to $17/hour, and tie it to inflation
  • Create a plan for providing a guaranteed livable basic income

Seafood, fishing, and aquaculture

PC

  • Fund an e-log system to comply with the DFO mandate

    "In partnership with the Fiserhmans Association provide funding to develop a made-in-PEI, for PEI, e-log system to comply with the mandate from DFO to have an electronic log system by 2024" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

  • Promote local food products

    "Promote local food products and support community based promotional campaigns for our products from land and sea" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

  • Rebuild lost infrastructure
  • Invest in tech advancements for reducing waste and creating value-added products
  • Support the sector by establishing its own dredging service

Green

  • Create industry-specific employee support programmes and emergency management plans for extreme weather events
  • Promote carbon credit markets in agriculture and aquaculture

    "Promote the development of carbon credit markets in agriculture and aquaculture, so we can pay farmers and fishers for sequestering carbon." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-20

  • Improve worker retention during slower periods

    "Review labour programs to improve worker retention during slower periods. This could include bridging programs, job sharing, advocating for changes to EI eligibility, and other initiatives." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-20

  • Increase funding for adopting clean technologies, alternate fuels, and reducing environmental impacts

    "Increase funding supports for the adoption of clean technologies, alternate fuels for fishing vessels (e.g. electric, hydrogen), and reducing environmental impacts. These include the Fisheries and Aquaculture Clean Technology Adoption Program (FACTAP) and Environmental Impact Reduction Strategy for Aquaculture and Marine Fisheries." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-20

  • Explore alternate bait options
  • Explore regenerative ocean farming

NDP

  • Create a Grow, Feed, and Buy PEI programme to support local farmers, fishers, growers, wineries, and breweries

    "Establish a Grow, Feed and Buy PEI program to increase food security and local business growth – supporting local farmers, fishers, growers, wineries and breweries.

    ○ Grow PEI will help young farmers access land, and support farmers and processors to expand local food production.

    ○ Feed PEI will increase the use of PEI-grown and processed foods – including agricultural products and seafood – in hospitals, schools, and other government facilities.

    ○ Buy PEI will help local producers and processors market their products by re-establishing a strong, recognizable Buy PEI brand and supporting industry-led Buy PEI marketing activities." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Sick leave

We don't have any PC policies on Sick leave.

Startups and small businesses

We don't have any PC policies on Startups and small businesses.

Green

  • Update commercial tenancy laws to protect local businesses
  • Remove incorporation and name search fees

    "Eliminate incorporation and name search fees for new business start-ups." — 2023 Election Platform, 2023-03-23

  • Consider ways to promote coops
  • Create a Mi'kmaq-specific business equity fund for long-term projects

    "Work to establish a Mi’kmaq-specific business equity fund for long-term projects that promote the prosperity and long-term well-being of First Nations communities in PEI." — 2023 Election Platform, 2023-03-23

NDP

  • Increase contracting of local companies for government procurement, and consider social, economic, and environmental factors

    "Improve the government procurement process to increase contracting of local companies and consider social, economic and environmental factors – such as good wages, local jobs and hiring a diverse workforce." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

  • Create an office to support the development of worker/producer coops

Tourism

PC

  • Provide multi-year funding agreements for community festivals and events
  • Provide labour incentives for hard-to-fill positions, with a focus on shoulder seasons

    "Establish labour incentives to assist the tourism sector (TIAPEI) in staffing hard-to-fill positions, with a focus on the shoulder seasons" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

  • Create new interactive tourism products in rural PEI

    "Create new interactive tourism products in rural PEI by working on sharing our history through tourism products such as the Confederation Trail" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

  • Provide $1M in marketing funding to the Charlottetown Airport Authority

    "Provide $1 million in marketing funding to the Charlottetown Airport Authority to re-establish connections to key Canadian destinations, such as Ottawa, and work with regional carriers, such as Provincial Airlines (PAL Airlines), to open up new tourism markets in Atlantic Canada" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

  • Reduce regulation of car rentals

    "Work with industry on reducing regulatory barriers to expand rental car availability" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

  • Work with the federal government to provide shore-side power at the Charlottetown Port to attract more cruise ships

    "In cooperation with the federal government, provide shore-side power at the Charlottetown Port to attract more cruise ships, especially in the shoulder seasons" — With You. For You., 2023-03-24

  • Support upgrades to Confederation Centre

Green

  • Create a new Culture Strategy, with increased investment

    "Create a new Culture Strategy for PEI and increase investment in culture."

  • Support new tourism initiatives for the off-season, including at provincial parks
  • Include tourism objectives in land use planning

    "Integrate tourism objectives into Island-wide land use planning (protecting viewscapes, beach access, farmland, infrastructure, etc.)." — 2023 Election Platform, 2023-03-23

  • Create a provincial museum

    "Create a provincial museum in partnership with federal and community partners. This will not only be an attraction for tourists, but more importantly will help promote the preservation and development of Island culture, which is one of our greatest tourism assets." — 2023 Election Platform, 2023-03-23

NDP

  • Increase the provincial budget for arts, culture, and tourism

Trades

PC

  • Expand in-school vocational training opportunities in the trades

    "Expand vocational training opportunities in our education system to expose students to career options earlier and provide pathways for mentorship and training for young Islanders to express an interest in the construction industry." — peipc.ca, 2023-03-15

  • Fund expanded training programmes for the construction industry

    "Provide funding to expand training programs such as the ‘Discover Carpentry’ program to expose more Islanders to the construction industry and provide them with the necessary skills and knowledge to be employable in the industry" — peipc.ca, 2023-03-15

Green

  • Provide a $2K bursary to encourage students to work in the construction industry
  • Help employers to provide learning opportunities to post-secondary students

    "Support employers to provide experiential learning opportunities that are relevant to students’ area of study." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-09

  • Streamline accreditation for internationally-trained workers
  • Convene a panel to explore the creation of a wage grid for construction

    "Convene a panel of employer and employee representatives from the construction industry to explore the creation of a wage grid for construction." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-09

    "This is modeled on Manitoba’s Construction Wages Industry Act which sets out a wage grid for construction industry jobs; this provides transparency and promotes wage fairness in the sector, while also signaling the wages that are available to workers outside the province. Manitoba’s Act has been in place for decades and has the support of both industry and workers. Any changes to the grid are done in consultation with those parties. According to BuildForce Canada, Manitoba is one of the few Canadian provinces that expects to have more entrants to the construction sector than retirements over the next 6 years." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-09

  • Provide free net-zero training for construction workers and contractors

NDP

  • Eliminate community college tuition fees by 2026
  • Ease restrictions on qualified immigrant workers getting credentials

    "Easing the restrictions qualified immigrant workers face in attaining the credentials to work on PEI." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

  • Work with trade unions to create trades colleges and training institutions, operated through trade unions

    "Working with trade unions to assist in the creation of trades colleges and training institutions, operated through trade unions." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

  • Increase funding to organisations that encourage women in the trades

    "Encourage women in trades through increased funding to organizations such as the PEI Women’s Network and the Trade HERizons program." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Training

PC

  • Create a $10M fund to create mentorship and training opportunities

    "$10 Million Dollar Upskilling and Re-Skilling Fund to work with employers to create unique opportunities to get more people into the workforce through mentorship and training opportunities by working with sector champions" — peipc.ca, 2023-03-17

  • Fund industry groups to develop online training platforms

    "Fund sector and industry groups to develop online training platforms for professional development, upskilling, and to allow for quicker onboarding of new graduates and employees into critical roles" — peipc.ca, 2023-03-17

Green

  • Help employers to provide learning opportunities to post-secondary students

    "Support employers to provide experiential learning opportunities that are relevant to students’ area of study." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-09

  • Promote enrolment in programmes addressing key labour shortages

    "This would include a variety of measures, developed in consultation with industry, educational institutions, and labour groups. For example, a Green Government would make sure there is adequate support for Island workers looking to reskill or upskill, including at little or no cost. We would provide experiential learning opportunities on PEI that are relevant to students’ area of study which not only gives them relevant skills but increases their employability after graduation." — peigreens.ca backgrounder, 2023-03-09

We don't have any NDP policies on Training.

Unions

We don't have any PC policies on Unions.

NDP

  • Respect collective bargaining rights
  • Update labour laws to protect workers from dismissal without cause
  • Enact anti-scab legislation