Best summer ever: Record number of jobs and opportunities in British Columbia through Canada Summer Jobs Program

KELOWNA, BC, July 12, 2016 /CNW/ - More British Columbia students than ever before will find work this year under the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program, thanks to unprecedented interest by employers and students from across the province, the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism, announced today at the Kelowna Art Gallery.

Minister Chagger, on behalf of the Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced that in the constituency of Kelowna–Lake Country, a total of 203 summer jobs have been approved for 93 projects, for total funding of $612,611. This represents an increase of 190 percent from the 70 student jobs approved through the program last year. Employers in British Columbia have received approval to hire 7,799 students this summer across 42 constituencies. This is up 133 percent from the 3,344 student jobs approved through the program last year in 36 constituencies before the boundary changes were enacted for the 2015 election.

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister, announced in June that more than 77,000 jobs were approved for funding for students across Canada through the program. That number is more than double last year's 34,000 jobs created and roughly 7,000 more than originally anticipated when the Government announced a boost in funding in the federal budget earlier this year.

Supporting youth employment opportunities is part of the Government of Canada's approach to help the middle class and Canadians seeking to join it.  

Quote

"More students are working across the country and will get the opportunity to earn income and build friendships while learning new skills this summer. Canada Summer Jobs is an opportunity for students to prepare for their future and to save for school."
 – The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

"I'm very happy to say that more local youth will be able to join the job market this summer. It's important to invest in Canada's youth, as they are the future of our work force."
– The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism

"We are delighted to participate in the Canada Summer Jobs program and to provide valuable work experience and earned income to youth intending to return to their studies in the next school year."
– Nataley Nagy, Executive Director, Kelowna Art Gallery 

Quick Facts

• Across British Columbia this summer:
  • A total of 56 jobs in the small business sector have been approved for funding in Kelowna–Lake Country in 2016, compared to none in 2015.
  • For the small business sector in British Columbia, a total of 1,149 jobs have been approved for funding, compared to 114 in 2015—an increase of 908 percent.
  • In the public sector, a total of 723 jobs in the public sector have been approved for funding, compared to 284 in 2015—an increase of 155 percent.
  • For the note-for-profit sector, a total of 5,927 jobs have been approved for funding, compared to 2,946 in 2015—an increase of 101 percent.
• Budget 2016 increased funding for the Canada Summer Jobs program by $339 million over three years, beginning in 2016–17.

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Backgrounder

Youth Employment Strategy

The Youth Employment Strategy (YES) is the Government of Canada's commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace. The YES helps youth between the ages of 15 to 30 get the information and gain the skills, job experience and abilities they need to make a successful transition to the workforce. The YES includes the Skills Link, Career Focus and Summer Work Experience programs, and is delivered by 11 federal departments.

• Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment—including single parents, youth with disabilities, Indigenous youth, young newcomers and youth in rural and remote areas—to develop employability skills and gain experience they need to find a job or return to school.
• Career Focus helps post-secondary graduates transition to the labour market through paid internships and helps provide youth with the information and experience they need to make informed career decisions, find a job and/or pursue advanced studies.
• Summer Work Experience provides wage subsidies to employers to create summer employment for secondary and post-secondary students. The Summer Work Experience program includes Canada Summer Jobs.

Each year, the Government invests approximately $330 million in the YES to help young people gain the skills and experience they need to find and keep good jobs.

Budget 2016 builds on that amount and proposes to invest an additional $278.4 million in 2016–17 in the YES to help nurture and develop the underutilized talent of Indigenous youth, youth with disabilities, single parents and newcomers by:

• creating new green jobs for youth;
• increasing the number of youth who access the Skills Link program, which helps young Canadians overcome barriers to employment;
• supporting employment opportunities in the heritage sector under the Young Canada Works program; and
• making new investments in the Canada Summer Jobs program.

Canada Summer Jobs

In February 2016, the Government announced that it would create up to 35,000 additional jobs in each of the next three years under the Canada Summer Jobs program. The investment of $339 million over three years, starting in 2016-17, will nearly double the number of job opportunities supported by the program.

Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public sector employers, and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for students.

The program creates summer job opportunities and provides valuable work experience for youth intending to return to their studies full-time in the next school year. It also helps employers generate jobs that focus on priorities important to their communities, as well as on a number of national priorities, including:

• employers who help welcome and settle Syrian refugees to Canada, as well as Syrian students;
• Indigenous people, who are among the fastest-growing segments of the Canadian population;
• small businesses working to become more innovative, competitive and successful (in recognition of their key contribution to the creation of new jobs); and
• cultural and creative industries looking to create jobs and to strengthen our rich Canadian identity. This priority will support the planning of Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

John O'Leary, Director of Communications, Office of the Hon. MaryAnn Mihychuk, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, 819-654-5611; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]