Feds help businesses hire youths for summer jobs in 2019

NEWS RELEASE
SAULT MP TERRY SHEEHAN
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Canada’s prosperity increasingly depends on young Canadians getting the education and experience they’ll need to start their careers.

Summer jobs are key to helping young Canadians gain skills and valuable work experience needed to join the labour market. To create more opportunities, not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and private employers with up to 50 employees, can now apply for funding from the Government of Canada.

Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy. They account for 99 per cent of all businesses and almost 90% of all private sector jobs. The Canada Summer Jobs program can help organizations fill labour gaps, especially during the busy summer months.

Following feedback from stakeholders across the country, improvements have been made for CSJ 2019 that will make it easier than ever for employers to provide good quality summer jobs, and for youth to access those quality jobs:

• Fewer barriers to good quality jobs: expanded eligibility to include all youth between the ages of 15-30 who are legally entitled to work in Canada – not just students.
• Updated eligibility criteria: eligibility criteria have been changed to set out what is and isn’t eligible for funding
• Better job matching: All positions will be posted on jobbank.gc.ca and on the app, to get the word out and help match young people with employers and good quality jobs.

For the riding of Sault Ste. Marie, not-for-profit employers can receive 100 per cent of the Ontario minimum hourly wage. Public-sector employers and private sector employers with 50 or fewer full-time employees across Canada can receive 50 per cent of the Ontario minimum hourly wage.

“I am pleased to announce that the federal government will continue the doubling of the number of summer jobs for 2019. Now is the time for Sault Ste. Marie not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses to apply for funding through the Canada Summer Jobs program. By hiring a young person, you will be helping young Canadians develop their skills and gain valuable workplace experience and, it allows businesses to succeed with the benefit of additional staff,” said Terry Sheehan, M.P.

Applications by employers for Canada Summer Jobs are being accepted as of Dec. 17, 2018 until Jan. 25, 2019. Employers can now open an account on the Government Grants and Contributions Online Service portal, allowing them to take their time with the application, track it once it has been submitted and get quicker feedback from Service Canada.

For more information and to apply, click here or visit a Service Canada Centre.

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