The Government of Canada is creating generational fairness by creating opportunities for young Canadians to develop their skills and to bolster their experience so they can not only enter, but thrive within the workforce.
July 3, 2024 - Quebec, Quebec - Employment and Social Development Canada
The Government of Canada is creating generational fairness by creating opportunities for young Canadians to develop their skills and to bolster their experience so they can not only enter, but thrive within the workforce.
Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, on behalf of the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, highlighted the impact of the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program in creating over 70 000 job opportunities for youth across Canada. In Quebec only, this represented nearly 15,000 jobs created for young Canadians in 2023. This initiative is part of the Government of Canada’s ongoing commitment to support young Canadians, making life more affordable and providing them with the skills and experience needed to build a better future.
The Canada Summer Jobs program prioritizes projects that support youth who face barriers to employment. This includes youth with disabilities, Indigenous youth, as well as Black and other racialized youth. By providing all young people with equitable opportunities to develop their skills, Canada Summer Jobs can help them to succeed in an evolving labour market.
This year’s budget includes a proposed $200.5 million investment for 2025-26 to continue the Canada Summer Jobs program, further demonstrating our commitment to creating opportunities for young Canadians. These job opportunities have enabled youth to gain valuable work experience, develop essential skills, and earn money over the summer in various sectors, including those facing critical labor shortages such as housing construction.
Canada’s success depends on the success of its youngest generations. Gen Z are a diverse group, from those who are starting to think about their future career years from now, to those just starting their first full-time job. They have a lifetime of opportunity ahead—and we are empowering them to aim high.
Lifting up Gen Z by ensuring they have good opportunities to launch their career will be critical to Canada’s economic growth potential in the years to come. As baby boomers are increasingly reaching retirement age, our younger workforce must be equipped with opportunities to build their skills and gain meaningful work experience. Gen Z needs the confidence of knowing they will find a good job that will help them get ahead.
Through initiatives like Canada Summer Jobs, the Government of Canada is committed to supporting youth at every stage of their journey towards a bright and prosperous future. Our focus remains on making life more affordable and providing the opportunities young Canadians need to thrive. Together, we are building a fairer generation and a stronger Canada.
“The Canada Summer Jobs program is more than just an employment program, it’s an investment in the potential of young Canadians and the economic vitality of our communities. This program gives thousands of employers the opportunity to meet their staffing needs over the summer, and it gives youth valuable work experience that will set them up for a lifetime of success in the job market. It’s a win-win for employers and for young people across Canada.”
The Honourable Marci Ien
Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
“Youth in Canada are one of our most important resources and we are committed to providing meaningful work experiences to help them grow and develop. Through the Canada Summer Jobs program, we are supporting youth at every stage of their journey towards a bright and prosperous future.”
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Public Services and Procurement
To help younger Canadians pursue and achieve their dreams, the Government is investing to create more youth job opportunities and ensure that hard work pays off for the next generation. In Budget 2024, the Government proposed to provide $200.5 million in 2025–26 for Canada Summer Jobs to provide well-paying summer job opportunities, including in sectors facing critical labour shortages, such as housing construction.
CSJ-funded jobs are full-time (30–40 hours per week) and have a duration of 6–16 weeks (average duration being 8 weeks).
Since 2020, CSJ has created more than 380,000 job opportunities for youth. Last year, CSJ surpassed its job creation target of 70,000 with over 74,200 jobs created.
In Quebec only, this represented nearly 15,000 jobs created for young Canadians and an investment of more than $60 million in 2023.
In a survey of CSJ youth participants for 2023, 92% of respondents reported having more confidence in multiple skills needed for future employment than they had at the beginning of their CSJ work placement. Additionally, 89% indicated that 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:
- Every year, Parks Canada hires a large number of young people to work in spectacular locations and gain real-world experience in a wide variety of occupations, including in visitor experience, heritage presentation, conservation, biology, finance and administration, human resources and more. Candidates can apply to up to 10 work locations at once through the Summer Jobs Inventory. Visit Parks Canada student and youth jobs to find out more.
Guillaume Bertrand
Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
418-564-9571
guillaume.bertrand@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca
