Canada Summer Jobs

Employment and Social Development Canada · The Canada Summer Jobs program subsidizes wages for employers who hire youth, supporting quality work experiences and skills development aligned with youth emp…

Save for later Check my fit

Overview

The Canada Summer Jobs program subsidizes wages for employers who hire youth, supporting quality work experiences and skills development aligned with youth employment priorities. Not-for-profit employers receive up to 100% of the provincial adult minimum wage plus employment-related costs, while public and private sector employers receive up to 50% of the minimum wage.

Eligibility

Employers must hire youth and provide quality work experiences with meaningful supervision and mentoring plansYouth participants should develop transferable skills in areas such as adaptability, collaboration, communication, digital skills, and problem-solvingPriority given to not-for-profit organizations supporting underserved and equity-deserving communitiesPriority given to jobs in construction, environmental/climate action, digital skills/AI, and supporting underserved communitiesSpecial consideration for youth facing barriers including Indigenous youth, Black youth, racialized youth, youth with disabilities, youth in rural/remote/northern communities, official language minorities, and 2SLGBTQI+ youth

Eligible projects

Employment of youth in paid positions that develop practical skills and work experienceConstruction-related work including design, development, renovation, repair of buildings and infrastructure, and affordable housing initiativesEnvironmental and climate-related work including mitigation, conservation, adaptation, and climate solutionsDigital skills development and exposure to artificial intelligence toolsWork with not-for-profit organizations supporting community programs and services for underserved populations

Financing terms

Not-for-profit employers receive up to 100% of provincial/territorial adult minimum wage plus mandatory employment-related costs (MERCs)Public and private sector employers receive up to 50% of provincial/territorial adult minimum wage; MERCs not reimbursableAdvance payments available: 75% of total value for projects $100,000 or under; 50% for projects over $100,001Additional funding available for accommodation measures to support youth with disabilities in the workplaceReimbursement calculated on provincial minimum wage rates; employer may pay higher wages at their own cost

How to apply

1Check eligibilityConfirm you meet every criterion listed above before you start.

2Prepare the project packageProject description, budget with quotes, team, and recent financial statements.

3Apply on canada.caGovgrant members can draft the application with AI and export a formatted PDF.

4Respond to reviewer questionsMost programs come back with one round of questions within a few weeks of submission.

Additional information

Program objectives align with the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) and emphasize meaningful work experience, skills development, and supporting youth facing barriers to employmentLocal priorities are set by Members of Parliament for individual constituencies in addition to national prioritiesMinimum wage exemptions (such as student rates) are reviewed case-by-case; CSJ funding would be based on the lower wage ratePage is an applicant guide explaining program objectives and funding structure; see linked pages for application deadlines and local priorities

At a glanceMaximumVariesProviderEmployment and Social Development CanadaDeadlineRolling intakeStatusOpenRegionCanadaOfficial sourcecanada.ca ↗

Members only