The CONNECT CASS Centre

On July 4th, 2006, the CONNECT CASS Centre officially opened to clients, in an agreement with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Funded through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Renewal Pillar of the Agricultural Policy Framework, the Canadian Agricultural Skills Service (CASS) program was administered according to federal and provincial requirements, and designed to enable low income farmers to access education and training. Through this program, farmers worked with CONNECT CASS Skills Assessment Advisors to identify goals and objectives, and to achieve them through learning plans developed in consultation with the advisors. The CONNECT CASS Centre worked with thirty advisors, as they developed learning plans with farmers, received and reviewed completed learning plans, recommended approval of learning plans by OMAFRA, and communicated with participants regarding plan implementation. The learning plan approval process included a detailed review of farmers’ proposed learning activity expenses, which were then received by the CON*NECT CASS Centre, with funds disbursed for approved expenses.

The project was extended until March 31, 2009, with more than 1,900 Ontario farmers applying to the CONNECT CASS Centre; of these, more than 1, 121 developed Individual Learning Plans that led to funding being granted.

Please contact us for further information about these or other past CONNECT projects.