Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) is an initiative of the Federal Government Summer Work Experience program. It provides wage subsidies to employers to create employment for secondary and post-secondary students. Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees. This funding helps create summer jobs for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year.
We are pleased to have seen the finalized list of approved Canada Summer Jobs for Calgary Signal Hill and can say that the list is comprised of a cross section of industries and businesses which can be viewed on the Service Canada website. These are mutually beneficial for the organizations as well as the students by providing income and experience for the students and support for the organizations.
However, there is a significant decline in the number of not-for-profit applications compared to past years which is most likely due to the applicant having to agree to an attestation requirement regrading reproductive rights. A number of faith-based organizations have indicated publicly they could not sign the attestation and therefore their application was rejected by the government.
Due to this negative feedback on the attestation requirement, the Minister has committed to making changes before the 2019 application time frame however that will not benefit those organizations this summer.
I would like to see more not-for-profit organizations accessing this program next year. Invitations for applications are opened in the fall each year with the deadline for application at the beginning of February and jobs starting late April. Eligibility is for not for profit as well as for profit small business.
I would encourage employers who may be considering hiring youth or students next summer to consider applying to the Canada Summer Jobs program. If you would like more information about the Canada Summer Jobs program, please contact our office at 403 292-6666 or [email protected].
