Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for this opportunity to speak to one of the more significant factors in our economic success as a country: a vibrant and robust employment market for all.
As a Maritimer, I am acutely aware of how job losses in Alberta reverberate across Canada. East-coasters of all stripes have flocked out west in search of good jobs and new challenges, and their hard work has helped support families and communities across the Maritimes. Several of my friends and colleagues have actually taken that trip and have been very successful in the work they have done down there. The lesson here is that we must treat economic stagnation in any part of the country as a vulnerability for the whole.
What job seekers value more than anything is acquiring new skills and improving their existing talents to contribute to something greater than themselves. That directly leads to more competitiveness, greater productivity, and an even better quality of life. In support of these ideals, we must do all we can to match the strength and determination these job seekers have always demonstrated.
In 2016-2017, federal training investments in Alberta amount to over $212 million. Through labour market development agreements, the Government of Canada is providing more than $110 million to Alberta for skills training and employment services, which help all unemployed Canadians prepare for and obtain employment. We have also eliminated the higher EI eligibility requirements that restricted access to the EI program for workers who were entering or re-entering the labour market. Now these workers face the same eligibility requirements as other claimants in the region where they live. This will increase access to EI for more than 50,000 workers, primarily youth and immigrants.
We have reduced the first EI waiting period from two weeks to one week, easing the financial pressure for eligible workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own or who have to leave work temporarily for health reasons or due to family pressures. This measure will put an additional $650 million in the pockets of Canadians annually. Additionally, under the Canada–Alberta job fund, Alberta is receiving an additional $5.8 million, its share of the additional $50 million for the Canada job fund agreements, as announced in budget 2016. Priority is given to unemployed persons who are not eligible for employment insurance benefits and to skills improvement for employed persons.
This year, $25.2 million is allocated through the Canada-Alberta Labour Market Agreement for Persons with Disabilities to fund programming for skills development and employment services that will help people with disabilities in Alberta. We also recognize the unique circumstances of indigenous people with regard to employment. We are working in partnership with indigenous communities throughout Alberta to support skills development and job training.
Our aboriginal skills and employment training strategy, or ASETS, provides a full set of services, from pre-employment training, which includes literacy, numeracy, and the acquisition of essential skills, to more advanced training-to-employment initiatives for skilled jobs, with an emphasis on pre-employment skills. In Alberta, ASETS has served over 40,000 clients, with over 20,000 of those securing jobs. This year, we increased the annual ASETS budget by 3%, the first time it has received an increase in 17 years. Furthermore, $1.9 million is allocated through the Canada–Alberta Targeted Initiative for Older Workers Agreement to support projects that provide skills training and employment-assistance services for unemployed older workers living in small, vulnerable communities in Alberta.
Our focus, as ever, remains on the well-being of people who need support to find good employment and on strengthening our communities and growing our economy. We recognize, as Canadians, that when Alberta does well, Canada does well.