July 29, 2014 – Woodbridge, ON – Employment and Social Development Canada
More than 90 students in Vaughan will gain valuable skills and work experience this summer, today announced the Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Member of Parliament for Vaughan, along with the Honourable Kevin Sorenson, Minister of State (Finance), on behalf of the Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State for Social Development.
This year in Vaughan, the Government of Canada has provided approximately $217,000 in funding through Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) to connect youth with over 40 different employers. An example of a successful employer is the Earth Rangers Foundation, which has received funding since 2008, totalling more than $95,000, to employ 25 students, including two this year.
The ministers visited the Earth Rangers Centre for Sustainable Technology and learned how the organization educates children and families about the importance of biodiversity, conservation and sustainability. Over the years, students hired through CSJ developed knowledge and skills in various fields, such as information technology, solar and green energy, and office administration. They also learned various ways to protect animals, their habitats and the environment.
Economic Action Plan 2014 is also providing the Earth Rangers Foundation $3 million over three years to expand its existing family oriented conservation and biodiversity programming. It will allow Earth Rangers to expand its programs across Canada, including in French in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
CSJ helps students gain the skills and experience they need to be successful, now and in the future, while earning money for the upcoming school year. In 2014, the program is expected to create approximately 35,000 jobs, while helping employers address skills shortages.
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Office of the Minister of State (Finance) Kevin Sorenson
Meagan Murdoch
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Meagan.murdoch@fin.gc.ca
The Youth Employment Strategy (YES) is the Government of Canada’s commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace. YES helps youth between the ages of 15 and 30 get the information and gain the skills, job experience and abilities they need to make a successful transition to the workplace. YES includes the Skills Link and Career Focus programs and the Canada Summer Jobs initiative, which creates thousands of job opportunities for students every summer.
Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year. Since it began in 2007, through 2013, Canada Summer Jobs has helped over 260,000 students.
Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment—including single parents, youth with disabilities, young newcomers and youth in rural and remote areas—to develop the skills and gain the experience needed to find a job or the confidence to return to school. Since 2006, Skills Link has helped over 179,000 youth.
Career Focus helps post-secondary graduates transition to the labour market through paid internships and helps to provide youth with the information and experience they need to make informed career decisions, find a job and/or pursue advanced studies. Since 2006, Career Focus has helped over 26,000 youth acquire skills needed to join the job market.
The Government of Canada is also helping post-secondary students finance and repay their education through loans, grants and repayment assistance to help young Canadians pursue and save for their post-secondary education. In addition, Economic Action Plan 2014 will introduce apprenticeship loans to help registered apprentices with the cost of their training and encourage more Canadians to consider a career in the skilled trades. It is estimated that at least 26,000 apprentices per year will apply for over $100 million in loans.
To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit actionplan.gc.ca.
The Government of Canada is helping youth plan their careers, learn new skills and find jobs through enhanced online services available at youth.gc.ca.
