A strong middle class and a growing economy depend on young Canadians getting the skills and work experience they need to succeed. That’s why the Government of Canada has doubled the number of jobs created through the Canada Summer Jobs program since 2015, creating meaningful, paid work experience for almost 70,000 students per year.

“Canada’s young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow—they are leaders today.  That’s why our government is focused on ensuring more young Canadians get the skills and training they need to thrive. By helping more young Canadians get paid, meaningful work experience, we can ensure they have a fair shot at success.”

– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

“Youth-focused programs such as Canada Summer Jobs help young Canadians gain the hands-on work experience they need to make a successful transition from school to the workplace.”

– Peter Schiefke, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Youth)

“The Well, along with many other small non-profit agencies, benefits greatly from the Canada Summer Jobs program. Employing students means we can continue to provide the full range of services during the summer when regular staff take their leave. The Well, one of the five Community Ministries of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, provides basic needs, recreational programming and social supports to marginalized women and children who are vulnerably housed and who are impoverished and live on low incomes.”

–  Rachel Robinson, Executive Director, The Well

• Not-for-profit employers are eligible to receive funding for up to 100% of the minimum hourly wage. Small businesses with 50 or fewer employees and public-sector employers can receive up to 50 percent of the minimum hourly wage.

• Canada Summer Jobs is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy. Since 2005, the Youth Employment Strategy has helped over 900,000 young people gain the skills and work experience they need to find and keep  good-quality jobs.

• Each year, the Government invests over $330 million in the Youth Employment Strategy. Budget 2016 announced an additional investment of $339 million over three years. This was followed by an additional investment of $395.5 million over three yearsin Budget 2017. These investments are helping:

  • more than 33,000 vulnerable youth develop the skills they need to find work or go back to school;
  • create 15,000 new green jobs for young Canadians; and
  • provide over 1,600 new employment opportunities for youth in the heritage sector.

• In 2017, the Government of Canada helped create nearly 70,000 summer job opportunities for students, which is double the number of jobs created through CSJ in 2015.

• Budget 2018 announced an investment of $448.5 million over five years to the Youth Employment Strategy. This funding will support the continued doubling of the number of Canada Summer Jobs opportunities in 2019.

Related products

• Backgrounder: Youth Employment Strategy

Associated links

• List of employers
• Budget 2018

Contacts

Carlene Variyan
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
Carlene.variyan@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
819-654-5611

Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter