Over 2,100 small business jobs created for youth in B.C. through Canada Summer Jobs

Government of Canada funds work experience for local students

RICHMOND CENTRE, BC, Aug. 20, 2018 /CNW/ - A strong middle class and a growing economy depend on young Canadians getting the skills and work experience they need to succeed. That's why the Government of Canada has nearly doubled the number of quality jobs created through the Canada Summer Jobs program since 2015, creating meaningful, paid work experience for almost 70,000 students per year.

Today at the Sable Shortbread Company, Mary Ng, Member of Parliament for Markham-Thornhill, on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced that this year, Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) provided close $3.5 M to British Columbia small businesses for over 2,100 new jobs for youth. Approved funding included over $127,000 for 84 jobs with private-sector employers in Richmond Centre.

Small businesses account for 97.9 percent of all businesses in Canada. They represent on average 30 percent of our national GDP and proportionally play an important role in job creation. Small businesses may not always have the ability to pay a full salary to a summer employee, and the federal incentive is the element that allows them to hire young staff. While young workers benefit from these work experiences, they also bring new ideas and perspectives to the workplace.

A summer job helps students gain new skills and valuable work experience while saving money for the school year ahead. The Canada Summer Jobs program provides students across Canada aged 15 to 30 with quality work experience opportunities.

This year, more than 3,000 employers across Canada are first‑time funding recipients, ensuring thousands of fresh new experiences for young Canadians. This year's jobs fulfill five national priorities, designated by the Government of Canada, including:

• employers who intend to hire youth from underrepresented groups, including youth who are new immigrants and refugees, Indigenous youth, youth with disabilities and visible minorities;
• small businesses, in recognition of their contribution to the creation of jobs;
• organizations that support opportunities for official language minority communities;
• organizations that provide services and/or supports to the LGBTQ2 community;
• organizations that provide opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and information and in communications technology, particularly for women.

Quotes

"We know that our communities are healthier and stronger when everyone can fully participate; supporting underrepresented youth early in their working lives, through summer job opportunities, is part of our plan to build a strong middle class and keep our economy growing."
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

" Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. That's why our government is helping British Columbia's small businesses by connecting them with over 2000 talented young staff through the Canada Summer Jobs program. This program not only helps small businesses it also provides young Canadians with important work experience that will get them career-ready."
– Mary Ng, Member of Parliament for Markham-Thornhill

Quick Facts

• Employment and Social Development Canada, announced that Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) will provide close to $3.5M to British Columbia small businesses for over 2,100 new jobs for youth. This brings the total investment for 2018 to $27.8M and 17,600 private-sector jobs for youth throughout Canada.
• Each year, the Government invests over $330 million in the Youth Employment Strategy. Budget 2016 announced an additional investment of $339 million over three years. This was followed by an additional investment of $395.5 million over three years in Budget 2017. These investments are helping:
• 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 over 1,600 new employment opportunities for youth in the heritage sector.
• Budget 2018 announced an investment of $448.5 million over five years to the Youth Employment Strategy. This funding will support the continued doubling of the number of Canada Summer Jobs opportunities in 2019 and serve to implement a modernized YES, building on the input of the Expert Panel on Youth Employment.
• Under the Canada Summer Jobs Program, not-for-profit employers are eligible to receive funding for up to 100% of the minimum hourly wage. Small businesses with 50 or fewer employees and public-sector employers can receive up to 50 percent of the minimum hourly wage.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada