Businesses have to step up to help the government tackle Ontario’s youth unemployment problem, says Premier Kathleen Wynne.

In the wake of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ report that found the province is faring worse than Rust Belt states such as Indiana and Ohio, Wynne insisted her Liberals can’t do it alone.

“It is necessary for us to engage the private sector on solving this issue,” the premier told the Star on Friday.

“That’s the foundation of our youth employment fund — to get labour and government and business working together to make sure that young people have the skills they need for the jobs that are available,” she said, referring to the government’s new $295-million strategy to address the subject.

Wynne said the initiative, which encourages companies to hire and train young workers with subsidies of up to $6,800, should “give young people an opportunity to take part in businesses, in work environments that they wouldn’t necessarily consider.”

The two-year plan also includes financial to aid to young entrepreneurs and help for bringing new products and services to market.

But NDP MPP Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay) said it is telling that the minority Liberals only launched the youth employment scheme to win support for last spring’s budget from the New Democrats.

“This is pretty scary. We have the worst track record when it comes to youth (unemployment). Where has the government been for 10 years? They’ve been in power,” Bisson told reporters at Queen’s Park.

“Why did it take . . . our introduction of the idea for the government to recognize it was even a problem?” he said, emphasizing his hope the government’s plan works.

“Definitely it’s going to help.”

Progressive Conservative MPP Rod Jackson (Barrie) said the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ study — entitled The Young and the Jobless — highlights the need for a change in direction at Queen’s Park.

“Something we’ve been seeing for quite a while is the decline of Ontario. Ontario used to be the engine that drove confederation, the economy. We’re clearly fighting hard to keep our economy afloat,” said Jackson.

“Youth unemployment is an indication of how bad it’s getting and how we need attention now. It’s time for action,” he said.

Wynne noted that Ontario was “hit disproportionately” by the recession and it has been more difficult to bounce back, which has been especially harmful to young people.

“Many of the businesses that were hit the hardest would have been businesses that could have taken in summer students or part-time students, created part-time jobs and that hasn’t been possible,” she said.

The premier added skills-training is critical to the youth employment strategy.

“Ironically, I can go into manufacturing plants along the (Hwy.) 401 corridor and I will hear consistently that people are looking for particular skilled labour,” said Wynne.

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“That’s where the skills gap worries me . . . we need to make sure that young people are aware . . . I’m not sure they’re getting that information either in their families, their communities or in their school.”

With a 16.9 per cent youth unemployment rate among those aged 15 to 24, Ontario ranked with neighbouring Michigan and trailed Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Only Illinois at 18.5 per cent and New York at 18 per cent fared worse than Ontario while Quebec was at 13.7 per cent.

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