Question Period Note: Canada Summer Jobs – Program Integrity Measures

What program integrity measures has the Government of Canada implemented to ensure that recipients of Canada Summer Jobs funding are eligible for the program?

• The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program supports quality job placements for youth that take place in safe, inclusive and healthy work environments that are free from harassment and discrimination.
• Each year, CSJ applications received from employers are assessed against criteria outlined in the program Applicant Guide for that year.
• Employers who are approved for CSJ funding sign Articles of Agreement that set out expectations, conditions, and obligations that govern the receipt of funding.
• The Department conducts a range of monitoring activities on a select number of projects to ensure that employers achieved the outcomes to which they committed. These activities include financial, activity, and results monitoring.
• Where there is a potential breach of the funding agreement, the Department works to resolve issues directly with employers by seeking clarification or requesting additional documentation.
• Organizations that fail to demonstrate that they met the Terms and Conditions of the Agreement will not be reimbursed for the youth’s salary.

Investment

• For CSJ 2022, the contribution funding is $454M. As of May 6, 2022, 40,868 projects and 150,395 jobs have been approved for funding.

Results

• The program conducts employer and participant surveys every year. Results from both the CSJ 2020 Employer and Participant Questionnaires demonstrate high satisfaction with the program.

• A total of 26,990 (95%) employers responded to the questionnaire. A combined 97.9% of respondents report being very satisfied (85.6%) or somewhat satisfied (12.3%) with the program. In addition, close to 42% of employers indicated they retained the youth hired through the program following the funded work placement.

• While the questionnaire is voluntary for CSJ youth participants, a total of 27,485 (35.5%) participants responded to the questionnaire. Of those responses, 95% of youth report being very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the CSJ program.

• For CSJ 2021, the program has surpassed its target of 120,000 jobs, with more than 124,000 CSJ placements created. Results have been published on the CSJ website.

Eligibility

• CSJ applications are deemed ineligible if the employer is not able to demonstrate that the project, and job activities, meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the Applicant Guide (e.g., health and safety, hiring practices and work environment, supervision and mentoring plans).

• Before an eligibility determination is completed, employers are provided an opportunity to provide clarifications and supporting information. For example, employers previously deemed ineligible are provided the opportunity to demonstrate action taken, as required, to meet the CSJ eligibility criteria.

Project Examples

• Youth have access to a wide variety of safe and secure job placements across many sectors that need extra support right now, including retail, recreation, tourism, education, community services, customer service, factory and many more.

• Common jobs available through CSJ include camp counsellors and leaders, administrative assistants, marketing co-ordinators, lifeguards, community service workers, and many more. These Jobs provide valuable mentoring, skills building, and experience for their future careers.

BACKGROUND

• CSJ is part of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, which is the Government of Canada’s initiative to help young people—particularly those facing barriers to employment—get the information and gain the skills, work experience and abilities they need to transition successfully into the labour market. The CSJ program is delivered by Employment and Social Development Canada.

• CSJ provides funding for not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees to create quality summer job opportunities for young people between the ages of 15 and 30, including those who face barriers.

• Each year, the CSJ not only provides youth with opportunities to develop and improve their skills, but for some, it provides entry to their first job experience. The program is also responsive to national and local labour market priorities.

• The program eligibility criteria were changed in 2018 and implemented in the CSJ 2019 cycle to strengthen assurances that youth job opportunities funded by the CSJ program take place in safe, inclusive and healthy work environments that are free from harassment and discrimination.

• As part of the management of agreements, the Department conducts several monitoring activities, including financial monitoring, to ensure that funding was used according to the Terms and Conditions outlined in the Agreement with each organization.

• The Articles of Agreement detail the financial records and audit requirements of the program. For instance, in the event that financial irregularities are discovered, Canada may verify information with the Canada Revenue Agency.

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