As we enter 2021 with both hope on the horizon for vaccine rollouts and ongoing uncertainty in the short-term, the Canada Summer Jobs program has been modified to grant both employers and eligible youth additional flexibility for 2021.

The Government of Canada is currently accepting applications for Canada Summer Jobs 2021, and has extended temporary COVID-19 related flexibilities to permit employers to offer part-time in addition to full-time jobs, and to allow youth to start as early as April 2021 and as late as January 2022.

While many Canadians struggled throughout 2020, youth were particularly hard hit by COVID-19 and, as of November, the unemployment rate among youth aged 15 to 24 remained at 17.4%, well above the rate for workers aged 25 and older.

The Canada Summer Jobs program provides an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of youth aged 15 to 30 allowing them to acquire skills, gain meaningful work experiences and make important contributions to their communities.

For more information about this year’s Canada Summer Jobs program, please read the attached document (with hyperlinks to key information). Given that the demand for funding in 2021 will far exceed available resources, we encourage you to write to your MP when you submit your application to let him or her know of your work in the community and the opportunity you can offer to youth.