Earlier this year, Janet wrote about why ASPECT takes part in provincial and federal budget consultations.One of her points was that we do not expect to see our recommendations lifted word-for-word into a budget. The work is also about making sure the experience of our members is part of the conversation when priorities are being shaped.

ASPECT members offer a broad suite of services and regularly work across ministries, sectors and communities. We value hearing directly from the people delivering those services and helping carry that experience into broader policy and planning conversations, like this consultation.

The Report on the Budget 2027 Consultation has now been released, and it was encouraging to see ASPECT’s contribution reflected directly in the Committee’s report:

“Regarding the need for better coordination in workforce development, the Association of Service Providers for Employability and Career Training (ASPECT) stated that community-based employment service providers operate at the intersection of workforce development, employment, employer engagement, and community resilience, and should be included in workforce planning. ASPECT also highlighted the role of these providers in helping workers gain new skills and transition into growing industries, while supporting employers with recruitment, retention, and workforce development. Its recommendations included recognizing workforce partnerships and employment services as essential workforce infrastructure, funding a cross-ministry workforce development table, and creating a community workforce partnership initiative.”

What feels especially encouraging is not simply that ASPECT is named in the report, but that the Committee captured the breadth of our members’ work and the connections they navigate every day across employment, skills, employers and communities. Helping bring that experience into broader policy and planning conversations is an important part of ASPECT’s role in connecting what is happening in communities with the people and processes shaping the systems around them.

The report is not the provincial budget, and inclusion does not mean every recommendation will be adopted. But it is encouraging to see the experience and ideas we hear from members reflected so clearly in the consultation record.

We are grateful to our members for continuing to share what they are seeing and experiencing, and to the Committee for the opportunity to participate and for the care taken in hearing from organizations and communities across B.C.

Working toward meaningful and sustainable livelihoods is ongoing work. It depends on collaboration, strong relationships, and continuing to learn from one another.

Jennifer Nichol
Interim CEO
ASPECT BC