Marci Ien Photo: Facebook
MARCI Ien, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth, and Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, highlighted on Wednesday the impact of the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program in creating more than 70,000 jobs for young people across Canada. This initiative is part of the Government of Canada’s ongoing commitment to supporting young Canadians, making life more affordable and providing them with the skills and experience needed to build a better future.
The CSJ program prioritizes projects that support young people who face barriers to employment. This includes youth with disabilities, Indigenous youth, as well as Black and other racialized youth. By providing all youth with equal opportunities to develop their skills, Canada Summer Jobs can help them succeed in the labor market.
This year’s budget includes a proposed investment of $200.5 million for 2025-26 to continue the Canada Summer Jobs program. These jobs have enabled young people to gain valuable work experience, develop essential skills and earn money over the summer in a variety of sectors, including those facing severe labour shortages, such as residential construction.
The government says that uplifting Gen Z by ensuring they have a good opportunity to launch their careers will be crucial to Canada’s economic growth potential in the years ahead. As baby boomers increasingly reach retirement age, our younger workforce must be equipped with opportunities to develop their skills and gain meaningful work experience. Gen Z must feel confident that they will find a good job that will help them get ahead.
Ien said: “The Canada Summer Jobs program is more than just an employment program, it is an investment in the potential of young Canadians and the economic vitality of our communities. This program provides thousands of employers with the opportunity to meet their summer workforce needs, and it gives young people valuable work experience that prepares them for a lifetime of success in the workforce. It’s a win-win for employers and for young people across Canada.”
Virani said, “Canada Summer Jobs helps employers in Toronto and across the country connect with the workforce of the future. I encourage young people to visit jobbank.gc.ca/youth today to find many great summer jobs in fields that interest them.”
CSJ-funded jobs are full-time (30-40 hours per week) and last 6-16 weeks (average duration is 8 weeks). Since 2020, CSJ has created over 380,000 jobs for young people. Last year, CSJ exceeded its target of 70,000 jobs with over 74,200 jobs created.
In a survey of CSJ youth participants for 2023, 92% of respondents said they felt more confident about several skills needed for future employment than they did at the start of their CSJ placement. In addition, 89% said they had developed a positive attitude about their future employment prospects.
Youth are also encouraged to explore additional opportunities available through other federal departments under the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy. Each year, Parks Canada hires a large number of young people to work in spectacular locations and gain real-world experience in a wide range of occupations, including visitor experience, heritage presentation, conservation, biology, finance and administration, human resources and more. Candidates can apply to up to 10 job sites at a time through the Summer Jobs Inventory. Visit Parks Canada Student and Youth Jobs for more information.
