Update Community and government working together to support former Erwin Hymer Group Employees
Update Apr. 11, 2019
Effective Monday, Apr. 15, the Province of Ontario’s Erwin Hymer Action Centre will be open at the United Way Office on Sportsworld Crossing. The new support hub is expected to be open for several months.
Address
50 Sportsworld Crossing Rd., East Building, Suite 220, Kitchener
Hours
Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
We want to thank all the community organizations, service providers and local employers who pulled together to respond so quickly to assist the impacted workers.
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The Cities of Cambridge and Kitchener - together with community, regional, provincial, and federal partners - will launch two employment support hubs next week to help support the employees impacted by the recent Erwin Hymer Group closure.
“We have been working around the clock to connect with all concerned partners who can offer support to the displaced employees and their families,” said Cambridge Mayor Kathryn McGarry. “I am confident we will work together and provide the help these workers need.”
"Despite the difficult nature of this closing, I am very encouraged by how all aspects of our community have come together to support those who were affected by the closing of Erwin Hymer," added Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “We know of many manufacturing firms who are hiring and who want to make it a priority to meet with these highly skilled workers.”
The municipalities, along with the Region of Waterloo, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Service Canada, and the Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation (WREDC), have been working hard to collectively offer as much support as possible to the former Erwin Hymer workers.
Information sessions to provide an overview of the available employment services and assistance options will be held Thursday, February 28 and Tuesday, March 5 at Grand Innovations in Cambridge (96 Grand Avenue South) and at Kitchener City Hall, 200 King Street West. Registration is required:
The Erwin Hymer Employment Support Hubs will officially open next week between 10a.m. and 4p.m. for drop- in support.
- Kitchener City Hall on Monday and Wednesdays
- Grand Innovations in Cambridge on Tuesday and Thursdays
Community organizations and service providers, including the John Howard Society (Cambridge Career Connections), Lutherwood, Conestoga College, Anishnabeg Outreach, K-W Working Centre for the Unemployed, the Waterloo Wellington Workforce Planning Board, Agilec and the YMCA, will be on hand at both locations. Services will include everything from assistance on Employment Insurance applications and resume writing to potential job matching.
The Cities of Cambridge and Kitchener in conjunction with the Workforce Planning Board will be holding a job fair on March 7 with details below.
“The Waterloo Region has a tradition of coming together in the face of adversity,” said Region of Waterloo Chair Karen Redman. “Our local economy remains strong and the committed employees that made Erwin Hymer Group a success will be highly sought after. The Support Hubs will provide a critical point of contact between local employers and these skilled workers.”
Erwin Hymer Group North America, which had its headquarters in Cambridge and a plant in Kitchener, filed for receivership on February 15, 2019 with approximately 850 employees impacted.
Additional Supports
- Job fair at Conestoga Co