Canada Summer Jobs 2022: Application period for employers has begun

FEDERAL Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, Marci Ien, on Thursday announced the launch of the employer application period for the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) 2022 program.

CSJ is a long-standing Government of Canada program that strives to help youth (15–30 years of age) obtain their first summer work experience. The program provides opportunities for youth to develop and improve their skills within the not-for-profit, small business and public sectors, and supports the delivery of key community services.

This year, CSJ 2022 is targeting the creation of up to 100,000 full-time summer job opportunities for young people. This represents a 40% increase from pre-pandemic targets. Not-for-profit organizations, public sector employers, and private sector employers with 50 or fewer full-time employees can apply for funding now until January 25, 2022, to hire young Canadians next summer. Full-time job placements will take place during the summer of 2022.

Every year, Employment and Social Development Canada establishes national priorities for CSJ to reflect Canada’s diverse communities and their evolving needs. This year’s national priorities ensure that young people who face barriers are given equitable opportunities to find meaningful work next summer. The priorities focus on supporting employers that intend to hire youth who have not completed high school or are not currently enrolled in an education or training program, as well as Black, Indigenous and racialized young people, and youth with disabilities. Small businesses and not-for-profit organizations that self-report as having leadership from groups that are under‑represented in the labour market will also be supported.

Employers interested in applying for CSJ 2022 funding can submit their applications electronically via either the online fillable application or the Grants and Contributions Online Service. The online fillable application is the fastest way for employers to complete an application online without having to create an account.

 

Quick Facts

  • 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.
  • Since 2016, the Government of Canada has increased investments in Canada Summer Jobs—more than doubling the number of jobs created annually, from 35,000 to over 79,000. In 2020, the Government of Canada invested $320.45 million in CSJ, adding an additional $62 million to increase the number of jobs for youth to 80,000.
  • Youth were hard hit by pandemic-related job losses, and their unemployment rate rose significantly, reaching a record high of 31.4% in May 2020. In November 2021, youth employment (56.1%) and unemployment rates (9.7%) held onto their recovery to pre-pandemic levels. Under-represented youth, who traditionally face challenges in the labour market, continued to struggle to find work.
  • In November 2021:

    o   visible minority youth had an unemployment rate of 12.9%;

    o   Indigenous youth not living on a reserve had an unemployment rate of 15.5%; and

    o   immigrant youth experienced an unemployment rate of 10.0%.

  • This year, not-for-profit employers will be reimbursed for up to 100% of the provincial/territorial minimum wage. Public and private sector employers will be reimbursed for up to 50% of the provincial/territorial minimum wage.
  • Job placements will occur during the summer and will be full time (minimum of 30 and a maximum of 40 hours per week). All CSJ opportunities must have a duration of 6–16 weeks (average is eight weeks).

 

BACKGROUNDER

Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) is part of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, a federal commitment to help young people gain employment information, skills and experience. This program aims to support young people, particularly those from communities facing barriers to employment, as they transition into the labour market.

CSJ is delivered by Employment and Social Development Canada. The program provides wage subsidies to private-sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees, employers from not-for-profit organizations, and the public sector. Through CSJ, employers are encouraged to create quality summer work experiences for young people between the ages of 15 and 30. It provides youth with opportunities to develop and improve their skills, responds to national and local priorities, and improves access to the labour market for youth, including those who face barriers to employment.

The CSJ employer application period is open now and will close on January 25, 2022. This year, public and private sector employers will be eligible to receive funding for up to 50% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage. As in previous years, not-for-profit employers will continue to receive up to 100% of the provincial territorial minimum hourly wage for each employee.

To help persons living with disabilities obtain employment, and to encourage employers to hire them under this program, employers may be eligible for additional funding to remove barriers in the workplace for young people living with disabilities within the work environment. This additional funding may be used for personal tools and adaptations that the employee requires to accomplish tasks.

The national priorities for this year will support projects that reach young people facing barriers to employment and jobs in small businesses and the not-for-profit sector, specifically:

  • young people who are early leavers of high school and not in employment, education or training;
  • Indigenous youth;
  • Black and other racialized youth;
  • youth living with disabilities; and
  • small businesses and not-for-profit organizations that self-report as having leadership from groups that are under-represented in the labour market.

Eligibility

Employers

Eligible Canadian employers are from the not-for-profit, public and private sectors. Private sector employers must have 50 or fewer full-time employees across Canada to be eligible (full-time employees are those working 30 hours or more per week).

Ineligible Canadian employers are members of the House of Commons and the Senate, federal government departments and agencies, provincial departments and agencies, and organizations that engage in partisan political activities.

Projects and job activities

Projects and job activities are ineligible if they:

  • have activities that take place outside of Canada;
  • include activities that contribute to the provision of a personal service to the employer;
  • involve partisan political activities;
  • include fundraising activities to cover salary costs for the youth participant;
  • restrict access to programs, services, or employment, or otherwise discriminate, contrary to applicable laws, on the basis of prohibited grounds, including sex, genetic characteristics, religion, race, national or ethnic origin, colour, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression;
  • advocate intolerance, discrimination and/or prejudice; or
  • actively work to undermine or restrict a woman’s access to sexual and reproductive health services.

How to apply

Employers can submit their applications electronically via either the online fillable application or by signing up on the secure Grants and Contributions Online Services portal. Registration for the portal is a one-time process that allows employers to apply and track application status, sign agreements, and submit their applications for CSJ funding and other funding opportunities offered through Employment and Social Development Canada.

The safety of young people is paramount to CSJ. To be eligible to receive funding, employers must be able to provide them with a job placement in a safe work environment. In the current context of COVID-19, employers are responsible to stay informed of provincial guidance on essential services and municipal, provincial and federal public health information.

In addition to guidance published by municipal, provincial and territorial governments, the federal government has published the following resources to support employers and employees:

To support employers, the CSJ 2022 Applicant Guide which is available online provides instructions on how to fill out an application, eligibility requirements and assessment criteria.

In spring 2022, Service Canada will automatically post all positions funded by CSJ to the Job Bank website and mobile app to help employers fill positions with qualified young people looking for work in their communities. Job Bank is the primary source of information for youth on the availability of CSJ-funded positions.

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