AGRI - Employment and Social Development Canada - May 22, 2020

Canada Summer Jobs 2020 | COVID-19 Flexibilities

Issue

• Flexibilities were introduced to Canada Summer Jobs 2020 to support employers and youth in the context of COVID‑19. Members of Parliament have been asked to identify new organizations that provide essential services in their community that could offer quality safe jobs for youth, while also providing feedback on projects received via the call for applications.

Key facts

• On April 8th, the Prime Minister announced temporary changes to the Canada Summer Jobs 2020.
• All funded employers will be eligible to receive a wage subsidy up to 100% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage; offer part-time placements; offer placements until February 28, 2021; and, amend jobs activities to support the delivery of essential services.
• Members of Parliament notified the first wave of approved employers on May 14, and youth jobs are able to begin as early as May 15.

Response

• Temporary changes introduced for Canada Summer Jobs 2020 are aimed at helping employers hire the workers they need to continue to deliver essential services and provide youth access to quality, safe jobs.
• The Department is currently working with employers to confirm their continued ability to participate in the program, and to adjust projects based on the temporary flexibilities introduced.
• However, we know that even with these flexibilities, some employers may not be able to hire youth this year amid the current pandemic.
• To leverage Members of Parliament’s knowledge of the circumstances in their communities, we asked them to identify additional local employers that provide essential services in their community to help address the COVID-19 situation even if they did not apply for Canada Summer Jobs funding. We are currently soliciting and processing applications from these new employers.
• These changes will help youth stay connected to the labour market, save money for their future, and find quality jobs in safe, inclusive, and healthy work environments.

Background

• Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) provides funding for not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create quality job placements for youth in safe, inclusive and healthy work environments.
• 79,279 quality jobs for youth were created through Canada Summer Jobs 2019.
• The Canada Summer Jobs 2020 call for applications was open from January 30, 2020 to February 28, 2020. The Department received approximately 37,000 applications to support the creation of over 147,000 jobs representing approximately $897M in funding.  Jobs could start as early as May 15, 2020.
• The budget for Canada Summer Jobs 2020 is $263M in order to create 70,000 jobs with an average duration of 8 weeks, 35 hours.
• MPs can participate in the CSJ program by promoting it to potential employers, identifying local priorities, providing input on project lists and notifying selected employers.

MP Feedback

• On April 9th, MPs were invited to identify local organizations that provide critical services that had not applied for CSJ funding but could be solicited to submit an application to offer job placements and provide feedback on eligible projects received through the call for applications held in February 2020. The Department also introduced a new MP Feedback tool to streamline the process from previous years.
• The Department held webinars on April 16 and 17 to support MP’s to provide feedback and identify new organizations.
• During the webinars, MPs raised concerns that there is no additional funding for the new employers they were asked to identify. They noted that with the increase to the wage subsidy, the number of total jobs offered in their riding would be lower this year than last. They also expressed concerns that they were asked to provide feedback on the list of recommended employers before the Department confirms whether these employers will be able to create a job for a youth in a safe environment. MPs have also asked for clarifications on how funding would be allocated between additional projects identified and projects from the call for applications.
• It is expected that even with the flexibilities, there will be employers who will not be able to hire youth this year amid the current pandemic and that the withdrawal rate this year will increase from previous years where withdrawals range from 12% to 16% of approved employers.
• Since MPs were invited to provide feedback on April 9, 2020, an extension was provided and they had until April 24 to provide feedback on the list of eligible employers and identify additional employers, should they wish to do so.
• The Department will prioritize funding for the new employers based on the level of priority identified by MPs either as immediate, ahead of the projects received through the call for applications, or potential investment if funding from their constituency budget becomes available.

MP Feedback Tool

• Service Canada has implemented a new tool to simplify the review process for MPs. Feedback will be accurately captured by clearly denoting projects from the call for applications to be funded, projects to be funded if resources become available and projects not to be funded even if funding becomes available in the constituency budget.
• The constituency budget initially provided for 48 constituencies in the new feedback tool was incorrect due to an administrative error. The constituency budget should have reflected the same amount allocated in 2019.  MPs received a revised feedback tool with correct amounts.  The Department remained available to support MPs in using the new tool and answer any additional questions they may have about the process.

Working with Employers

• The Department is currently contacting employers recommended for funding in order to confirm their continued ability to participate, and to make necessary adjustments to recommended projects based on the temporary flexibilities introduced for CSJ 2020 in response to COVID-19.
• The Department is also currently working to solicit, screen, and assess applications received from new employers identified by MPs. Webinars were held with these new employers on May 7, 12 and 13 to support employers in completing the application process.

Employer Notification

• In light of the temporary flexibilities, the notification phase will be slightly different for CSJ 2020. In previous years, MPs were provided with one list of successful applicants for their constituencies. Due to COVID-19, the process is evolving at different rates throughout the country, and Service Canada has not yet received responses from all employers. Some projects start dates have also shifted as employers can now offer jobs in the fall and winter, not only in the summer. As a result, MPs should expect multiple lists in a phased approach.
• MPs received the first list of successful employers on May 13th. Starting May 14th, MPs were able to notify the successful employers. Service Canada then followed up with successful employers on May 15th.
• This first list contained successful employers that have responded to Service Canada and confirmed their continued ability to create jobs for youth. This first list therefore represented only a portion of the total funds available for commitments in each constituency. MPs will receive subsequent lists each week as Service Canada confirms the participation of existing applicants and processes the applications received from the new employers that you identified. Service Canada began to notify successful employers starting May 15th, and applicants are able to begin positions as early as May 15th.

Key contact/
Name: Jacinthe David
Title: Director
Phone number: 613-404-6948

Approved by/
Name: Patricia Wilson
Title: Director General, LMSDPO
Phone number: 819-219-1255

Date
Date approved in ADMO / COO: