Supporting the Next Generation of Middle Class Workers
Modernized Strategy will Serve Young Canadians Facing Barriers to Employment

June 6, 2019                          Ottawa, Ontario         Employment and Social Development Canada

Canada’s continued prosperity depends on young Canadians launching meaningful careers. By helping them gain the skills and experience they need for a fair chance at success, we are investing in our greatest asset—our people.

Today, the Honourable David J. McGuinty, on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment Workforce Development and Labour, announced funding of over $8.3M to Canadian Parks Recreation Association (CPRA) for their project Green Jobs in Green Spaces. Through its initiative, CPRA will create 4,255 green summer job opportunities for youth across Canada, and provide job experience for youth to work in the green sector. The employers that are part of this initiative help reduce the consumption of energy and raw materials, minimize waste and pollution, and protect ecosystems.

Earlier this week, Minister Hajdu also announced the launch of the Youth and Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS). This new strategy build on the successes of the Youth Employment Strategy, and will provide more flexible employment services and enhanced supports for all young Canadians. It will help youth develop the skills and gain the experience they need to successfully transition into the labour market and ensure that no one is left behind.

Quotes

“The strategy builds on the success of the Youth Employment Strategy to support the next generation of the middle class. Young Canadians are talented, ambitious and hard-working, but getting a strong start in the workforce can be challenging for many. The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy will make it easier for young people to transition from the classroom to the workforce, including those facing barriers. It is part of our plan to ensure that everyone has a fair chance at success.”
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

“Supporting youth as they transition into the workforce and giving them the training they need to succeed is how we will grow our economy and strengthen the middle class. A modernized Youth Employment and Skills Strategy will more effectively help Canada’s most vulnerable youth succeed in a rapidly changing world of work.”
– The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Member of Parliament for Ottawa South

Quick Facts

• The CPRA Green Jobs in Green Spaces initiative will offer green summer job opportunities in fields such as a not-for-profit environment organization, solar and wind technology companies, environmental science centres, water resource agencies, farming co-ops.
• The funding for the CPRA came through ESDC’s former Youth Employment Strategy, which was recently modernized and renamed the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy.
• The YESS has been modernized to respond to recommendations made by the Expert Panel on Youth Employment to deliver a wider range of programs to help youth overcome barriers to employment and gain the skills, abilities and work experience needed to get a strong start in their careers. The modernized strategy will aim to offer more flexible services, broadened eligibility, and enhanced supports for youth facing barriers to employment tailored to address each individual’s challenges.
• Under the YESS, ESDC will launch a Call for Proposals for funding for 2020-2021 from organizations that help young people overcome barriers to employment. The Call will be open from June 3 to July 26, 2019. Projects can be either national or regional in scope and may start as early as April 1, 2020.

• • National: Project activities must take place in three or more provinces or territories.
  • Regional: Project activities can be provincial, territorial, or local in scope, but are limited to one province or territory
• Organizations are strongly encouraged to open an account on the secure Government Grants and Contributions Online Service portal, a one-time process that will allow them to apply for this and other funding opportunities across Employment and Social Development Canada.
• The previous streams of YES, Skills Link, Career Focus and Summer Work Experience have been integrated together to create a more holistic approach to funding and service delivery. The Canada Summer Jobs program has expanded eligibility to all youth aged 15-30—no longer restricting the program to just students.
• To help youth people gain the skills and work they need to find and maintain good employment, Budget 2019 proposes to build on previous investments to invest an additional $49.5 million over five years to launch a modernized Youth Employment Strategy. Through Budget 2018, the government is providing an additional $448.5 million over five years starting in 2018–19, to modernize the strategy, as well as to continue providing more Canada Summer Jobs in summer 2019.

Backgrounder

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