FEDERAL Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, has announced that the employer application period for the 2021 Canada Summer Jobs program is being extended until February 3 to allow more employers to apply for funding to hire young people. Not-for-profit organizations and private and public sector employers who have not already applied for funding are encouraged to do so now. 

The government says the 2021 Canada Summer Jobs program has an important role to play in supporting employers and young people during these difficult times. 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.

For more information on how to apply for funding, visit Canada.ca/Canada-summer-jobs. Applicants who are approved for funding will be able to hire youth as early as April 2021.

Quick Facts

• * Canada Summer Jobs 2021 will support the creation of up to 120,000 job opportunities for young Canadians. This represents a 50% increase from the 80,000 Canada Summer Job opportunities approved in 2020. 
• * According to recent data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey of December 2020, the youth unemployment rate was 17.7% higher than other age demographics. There were 247,000 fewer youth employed in December 2020 than 12 months earlier, including 153,000 young women and 94,000 young men.
• * Similar temporary flexibilities to those introduced for Canada Summer Jobs 2020 have been applied this year to help employers operate. These include:
  • an increased wage subsidy for private and public sector employers; 
  • an extension to the end date for employment to February 26, 2022; and
  • allowing employers to hire staff on a part-time basis.
• * Private-sector small businesses with 50 or fewer employees and all public sector employers can receive funding for up to 75% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage. Not-for-profit employers will continue to receive funding for up to 100% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage and mandatory employment-related costs.
• * Employers interested in applying are invited to submit applications that complement this year’s national priorities:
  • organizations that provide services to or intend to hire youth who self-identify as being part of under-represented groups or as having additional barriers to entering or staying in the labour market;
  • opportunities offered by organizations that provide services to persons with disabilities or intend to hire youth with disabilities;
  • opportunities for youth in rural areas, remote communities or official language minority communities;
  • opportunities offered by organizations that focus on protecting and conserving the environment; and
  • opportunities offered by employers impacted by COVID-19, in particular small businesses, in recognition of their contribution to the creation of jobs.