We should mention the current objectives of the program and the reason why they focus on smaller communities. There is a set amount of money. The goal of the fund is to respond to the specific, precise needs of older workers who have less access to employment services in their communities.
In big cities, there is a little more infrastructure; there are more services, training possibilities and programs. There is a reason why this program, from the outset, has had eligibility criteria based on the size of the community. It really is the case that older workers who lose their jobs in more traditional sectors have more difficulty finding another job and are more likely to find themselves out of work for a long time. So more intensive intervention is needed in order to help them reconnect with the labour market.
The goal really was for the existing funds to be used in small communities, not in larger ones where a lot of services and training programs are already provided.