December 2, 2014 – Gatineau, QC – Employment and Social Development Canada
Today, Scott Armstrong, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development, announced employers can now begin applying for funding under Canada Summer Jobs 2015. The funding will create thousands of job opportunities for students across the country.
Funding will be available to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses to hire qualified young people aged 15 to 30, who are full-time students intending to return to school in the fall. It is estimated that up to 35,000 young Canadians will benefit from summer employment through Canada Summer Jobs 2015, while helping employers address skills shortages.
Since 2006, the federal government has helped over six million young Canadians receive experience, training, and skills needed for better jobs. As part of the Government’s Youth Employment Strategy, Canada Summer Jobs 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.
Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses (i.e. businesses with 50 or fewer employees), to help create summer job opportunities for students.
Not-for-profit employers could receive up to 100 per cent of the provincial/territorial minimum hourly wage and mandatory employment-related costs. Public-sector employers and small businesses, with 50 or fewer employees, could receive up to 50 per cent of the provincial/territorial minimum hourly wage.
Employers can apply online at servicecanada.gc.ca/csj. Information about accessing this application is available by calling 1-800-935-5555, or by visiting any Service Canada Centre.
Completed applications may be submitted using one of the following methods:
- Online: Applications must be submitted by January 30, 2015, 23:59 Pacific Time. Applying online is quick and easy.
- In person: Applications must be submitted before the closing time of the local Service Canada Centre on January 30, 2015.
- By mail: Applications must be postmarked on or before January 30, 2015.
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 Canada Summer Jobs, which creates thousands of job opportunities for students every summer.
Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) 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 who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year. Since it began in 2007, CSJ has helped over 304,000 students. CSJ is part of YES’ Summer Work Experience Program, which has helped over 390,000 young people since 2006.
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 191,000 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, the Career Focus initiative has helped over 29,000 youth acquire skills needed to join the job market.
Through Economic Action Plan 2014, the Government of Canada is supporting up to 3,000 internships in high-demand fields and up to 1,000 internships in small- and medium-sized businesses.
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 introduced apprenticeship loans to help apprentices in Red Seal trades 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.
