Canada's economic recovery depends on young people being able to get good, well-paying jobs now and into the future. This is why the Government of Canada continues to make historic investments in young people, to ensure they have the supports and opportunities needed to build long and successful careers.
Today, the Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, Filomena Tassi, on behalf of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, with the Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for St. John's South-Mount Pearl, Seamus O'Regan, met virtually with participants from Choices for Youth to discuss their project funded through the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS).
Choices for Youth is a national project in receipt of $12 million to help approximately 650 youth in St. John's and the Atlantic region develop the skills needed to get - and keep - good jobs.
The Government of Canada is also investing over $8 million through 14 YESS regional projects across Newfoundland and Labrador to ensure that young people have access to the supports and job experiences they need right now, and for their future careers.
We are taking a collaborative and government-wide approach to supporting youth and ensuring their inclusion in all aspects of the economic recovery. Through Budget 2021, the Government is investing an additional $5.7 billion over the next five years to help young Canadians pursue and complete their education, acquire new skills and access more work opportunities. This is on top of the $7.4 billion already invested to support young Canadians during the pandemic. Thousands more young Canadians will be able to benefit from the following historic Government investments:
- Approximately 37,000 new job placements through the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy over the next two years;
- 220,000 job placements through Canada Summer Jobs over the next two years;
- an expected 50,000 work-integrated learning opportunities through the Student Work Placement Program in 2021-22;
- at least 85,000 work-integrated learning placements through Mitacs over the next five years starting in 2021-22; and
- 28,000 training and work opportunities for young Canadians through the Canada Digital Technology Adoption program.
More than 150,000 Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) opportunities have been made available to young Canadians across Canada as of April 26, 2021. Approximately 4,000 CSJ opportunities have been made available to young people in Newfoundland and Labrador. CSJ offers opportunities in a wide variety of fields, including community and charity work, food industries, recreation and fitness, marketing and public relations, landscaping and farm labour, and many others.
Taken together, the Government of Canada's response to the current crisis represents one of the largest youth support packages in the world.
Quotes
"Creating more opportunities for young people to gain the valuable skills and experience they need is more important now than ever. We know young Canadians today are facing unprecedented challenges, with disruptions in their job placements, studies and internships. Partners like Choices for Youth are creating life-changing opportunities by helping youth facing barriers to enter the labour market get the skills and professional training they need to build their future careers."
- Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough
"This past year, young people all over Canada have been on a very challenging path due to the COVID-19 crisis. Right now, many young people are looking for safe and secure jobs. Our investments in young people across the country through the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy are making a difference. And with its record-setting number of job opportunities this year, the Canada Summer Jobs program is there to help youth support themselves, grow professionally and move forward in their lives. I strongly encourage young people in St. John's to visit Job Bank online and check out the opportunities available for them in their community."
- Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, Filomena Tassi
"A priority for our government is providing young Canadians with the tools and work experience that they need to successfully overcome barriers to employment as our economy continues to recover. Choices for Youth and their innovative project embody the spirit of our Youth Employment and Skills Strategy program, and is a great example of Canada's strong commitment to supporting Canadian youth. I'm really looking forward to seeing the development of this project, and the tremendous impact it will have on young people in our community, and our country."
- Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for St. John's South-Mount Pearl, Seamus O'Regan
"Choices for Youth is focused on preventing and ending youth homelessness in Newfoundland and Labrador. Providing wraparound supports to youth and young families in all aspects of their growth and development is critical to that work. This investment from the Government of Canada to support Phase II of a Social Innovation Project is helping individual young people to lift themselves out of poverty, set goals, and work towards stability, leading to lasting positive effects for young people and for our entire province."
- Executive Director of Choices for Youth, Sheldon Pollett
Quick facts
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Budget 2021 includes $101.4 billion over three years in proposed investments as part of the Government of Canada's growth plan that will create good jobs and support a resilient and inclusive recovery. These measures include:
- Supporting more than 7,000 additional job placements through the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy. This will make it easier for young people to get good jobs, and better meet the needs of vulnerable youth facing multiple barriers to employment. This builds on funding announced in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, which is expected to result in over 30,600 new placements in 2021-22.
- Investing $17.6 billion in a green recovery that will help Canada to reach its target to conserve 25% of Canada's lands and oceans by 2025, exceed its Paris climate targets, reduce emissions by 36% below 2005 levels by 2030, and move forward on a path to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
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In April 2020, the Government of Canada invested $492 million over three years, through ESDC's YESS program, for 269 projects across Canada to help young people, facing barriers to employment successfully transition to the labour market.
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To support youth affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada announced in April and June 2020 increased funding by up to $187.7 million to the YESS program to create 9,500 more work opportunities for young Canadians, particularly those facing barriers to employment. YESS projects managed by ESDC received up to $40 million for national and regional programs that are providing flexible supports and targeted job opportunities for up to 6,200 youth aged 15 to 30, which surpasses the initial target of 4,700 jobs, in the areas of social support services, transport, information technology, research and administration, and other placements that support community needs.
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CSJ is part of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, which helps youth, particularly those facing barriers, to gain the skills and experience they need to successfully transition to the labour market. The program strives to give young Canadians between the ages of 15 and 30 paid work opportunities so that they can grow professionally and improve their skills in the not-for-profit, small business and public sectors. It also supports the delivery of key community services to Canadians.
