Waterfront Toronto is a proud participant in the Waterfront Toronto Employment Initiative (WTEI). The initiative is a collective that includes the City of Toronto's Employment and Social Services division and local service providers George Brown College, Dixon Hall and the YMCA of Greater Toronto.

The program was initiated at the suggestion of the West Don Lands Committee, a coalition of waterfront community associations.

WTEI increases access to employment opportunities by working with both employers and job seekers:

Waterfront Toronto encourages its partners, including developers, contractors and consultants, to participate in WTEI by sharing job opportunities as they become available and to work with the WTEI in cases where customized hiring strategies would be appropriate. Employment opportunities at Waterfront Toronto are also promoted through WTEI.

WTEI supports employers by:

• Working with employers to understand their hiring requirements and preferences, which in turn, will inform the development and implementation of customized recruitment and training plans.
• Providing support to employers (where possible and appropriate) to maximize their participation in WTEI. Examples of employer support could include referring pre-screened candidates for available opportunities or, where available, connecting employers with financial incentive programs.
• Creating a centralized access point for connecting employers with a candidate pool that has been prepared to specifically meet the employer’s needs.

WTEI supports job seekers through the particpating service providers by:

• Providing supported access to the diverse job opportunities generated through the projects on the waterfront.
• Providing appropriate and accessible employment services through established service providers.
• Strengthening qualifications and skills to match what the employer is looking for.
• Building the skills required to effectively find and compete in job competitions (e.g. resume development, interviewing, networking, company researching, etc.).
• Where relevant and possible, building partnerships with related unions and/or professional affiliations.
• Providing post-hire job retention support, including on-going career development supports.