Government of Canada provides skills training and job opportunities for young Canadians in Quebec and Ontario

News release

February 12, 2019                 Sherbrooke, Quebec                    Employment and Social Development Canada

Canada’s prosperity depends on young Canadians getting a fair chance at success in the labour market. By helping them gain the skills and experience they need to launch meaningful careers, we are investing in our greatest asset—our people.

Today, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism and Member of Parliament for Honoré-Mercier, and the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and Member of Parliament for Compton–Stanstead, announced funding that will continue to help young Canadians develop their skills and get hands-on work experience. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.

The Government of Canada highlighted investments of almost $5.9 million, approved over the last three years, for several projects involving 473 participants in Quebec and Ontario. Funding is being provided to Actions interculturelles under the Skills Link and Career Focus programs, which are part of the Youth Employment Strategy.

Skills Link supports projects that help young people who face more barriers to employment than others get employability skills and gain valuable job experience, which in turn helps them make a successful transition into the workforce or go back to school. This could include youth who have not completed high school, single parents, Indigenous youth, youth with disabilities, newcomers or youth living in rural or remote areas.

Career Focus supports projects that help high school graduates transition to the labour market through paid internships, and helps to provide them with the information and experience they need to make informed career decisions, find a job and/or pursue post-secondary studies.

Quotes

“Our communities are healthier and stronger when everyone can participate equally. Supporting youth as they transition into the workforce and giving them the training they need to succeed is a key way in which we can grow our economy and strengthen the middle class.” 

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

“The projects that have been offered by Actions interculturelles over many years have directly and positively affected hundreds of young people who have been able to build a career in their chosen field. Our government is proud of projects like these that enable young Canadians to reach their full potential and turn their ambitions into reality.”

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism and Member of Parliament for Honoré-Mercier

“By giving our youth the chance to gain new skills on the labour market, we are ensuring that they have a promising future. By supporting projects such as those of Actions interculturelles, our government is providing concrete support to our youth for their future career.”

– The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and Member of Parliament for Compton–Stanstead

“We are pleased with this partnership with ESDC, which has already tangibly helped several hundred participants facing difficulties entering the labour market. Our team helps them look for jobs and gain the skills they will need in the workplace. These projects help youth integrate, professionally and socially, and support employers in their efforts to find resources that not only meet their needs, but also manage the developing diversity in their work teams. Thank you for investing in the integration of these young people!”

– Louise Gagné, President, Actions interculturelles

“Through these projects we are achieving, after six months of practical experience, an employee retention rate of 80 to 90 percent. These outcomes are vastly better than the targets. The projects are clearly successful in Quebec as well as Ontario. These programs respond perfectly to young people’s needs to acquire their first work experience and integrate both socially and professionally.”

– Mohamed Soulami, director general of Actions interculturelles 

Quick facts

  • Career Focus and Skills Link are part of the Youth Employment Strategy, a horizontal initiative involving 11 federal departments and agencies.

  • Canada’s future prosperity depends on young people getting the education and work experience they need to succeed. Each year, the Government invests over $330 million in the Youth Employment Strategy to help young people gain the skills and work experience they need to find and keep good jobs.

  • Through Budget 2018, the Government is providing an additional $448.5 million over five years, starting in 2018–19, to the Youth Employment Strategy. This funding will support the continued increase of the number of job placements funded under the Canada Summer Jobs program in 2019–20.

  • Budget 2017 invested an additional $395.5 million over three years. Combined with Budget 2016 measures, these investments will help:

    • 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 more than 1,600 new employment opportunities for youth in the heritage sector.

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Contacts

For media enquiries, please contact:

Véronique Simard
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
veronique.simard@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
819-654-5611

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