Canada Summer Jobs program update provided by Employment and Social Development Canada.
Youth were among the hardest hit by the related socio-economic consequences of the pandemic and this is why the Government of Canada quickly responded by ensuring youth across the country were supported through a range of programs and services, including Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ). During this period, the Government exceptionally and temporarily, increased the annual job creation targets as well as the funding available for the CSJ program.
The CSJ program has returned to its pre-pandemic parameters in terms of job creation target and level of funding. The target for CSJ 2023 is 70,000 jobs, similar to the 2019 target. Despite a realignment of targets, each federal electoral district saw an increase of its funding in 2023.
The current formula to allocate CSJ funding to Federal Electoral Districts (FED) remains the same as previous years, and is based on both historical spending and unemployment data from both the local and provincial levels (i.e., using Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey data on unemployed youth aged 15 to 29 years during the summer months [May to August], and 2016 Census data on the number of unemployed youth aged 15 to 30).
Available funds are distributed among the applicant organizations following a prioritization of the projects based on Service Canada’s assessment. Depending on the number of applications and available funding, the agreement may be for fewer jobs, weeks, and hours per week than requested in the application.
The main objective of the CSJ program is to offer youth from across Canada the chance to gain quality work experience during the summer period so they can acquire and develop their professional skills and competencies. We also know that without the collaboration and support from employers, the success of the CSJ program would not be possible. That is why the Government of Canada continues to work with stakeholders to improve the program year after year. It is important to note that this program remains one of the most popular contribution programs at the federal level. This often means that not all applications submitted under the program will receive funding.
While the call for employer applications for 2023 is now closed, information on the Canada Summer Jobs program and wage subsidies can be found on the Employment and Social Development (ESDC) website.
Job seekers are invited to explore thousands of summer employment opportunities through the Government of Canada’s Job Bank.