ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program

Q: How much funding can be received?

ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $5000 per project.

Q: What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Q: Is the ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program a grant, loan, or tax credit?

ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program is a Wage Subsidies And Interns

Q: Who are the financial supporters of the ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program?

ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program is funded by ECO Canada

Q: Who is eligible for the ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program program?

To be eligible for the ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program program, you must: • The employer must be a Canadian-owned business or a Canadian subsidiary (municipalities, governments, and post-secondary institutions are excluded). • Placement must be a new full-time or part-time position lasting 6 to 16 weeks with a minimum of 180 hours.

Q: Where is the ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program available?

The ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program program is available across Canada.

Last Update: July 22, 2025

Canada

Money to hire students for an environmental co-op

At a glance

Eligible Funding

Max. $5,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Timeline

Open Date : April 1, 2024

Financing Type

Wage Subsidies And Interns

Eligible Industries

Professional, scientific and technical services
Educational services

Funds Providers

ECO Canada

Program status

Open

Overview

If you’re working on an environmental project, you could get connected with a post-secondary student in STEAM or business and a subsidy to cover 50% of their salary up to $5,000 for a maximum of 16 weeks.

Financing terms and conditions

Financial aid covers 50% of the student's wages, up to a maximum of $5,000 per placement.
Funding applies to placements between 6 to 16 weeks, either full-time or part-time, provided the placement includes at least 180 hours of work.

Activities funded

Placement of post-secondary students in work positions related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math (STEAM), or Business fields.
Facilitation of real-world, on-the-job learning experiences for students in environmental sectors while they are still enrolled in post-secondary education.
Collaboration between Canadian businesses and post-secondary institutions to offer meaningful work placements of 6 to 16 weeks duration.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 2,500

Real-world work placement for a data analyst student at GreenTech Solutions

$ 3,000

Web development internship for a computer science student at CleanTech Innovations

$ 2,200

Graphic design internship for an arts student at RecycleYourTech

$ 2,520

Research assistant position for an engineering student at GreenEnergy Labs

$ 2,400

Environmental impact study internship for a biology student at EcoBio Research

$ 2,400

Sustainability advisor role for a business student at Forever Green Initiatives

Eligibility

The applicant must be a Canadian-owned business or a Canadian subsidiary.
The applicant must not be a municipality, government entity, or post-secondary institution.
The business can be of any size.
The business must offer a new full-time or part-time placement lasting 6 to 16 weeks, with a minimum of 180 hours, for a post-secondary student in a STEAM or Business field.

Who is eligible?

Businesses of all sizes that are Canadian-owned or Canadian subsidiaries (excluding municipalities, governments, and post-secondary institutions)

Who is not eligible

Municipalities
Government entities
Post-secondary institutions

Eligible expenses

Salary expenses for students hired for full-time or part-time placements (6 to 16 weeks, minimum 180 hours), covering 50% of wages up to a maximum of $5,000 per student.

Eligible geographic areas

Businesses located anywhere in Canada

How to apply

Apply Online

Visit the ECO Canada Student Work Placement Program website.
Choose the appropriate application path: Apply as a Student or Apply as an Employer.
Fill out the online application form with the required information.

Approval Notification

Once pre-qualified, both students and employers will receive an email informing them of their approval to participate in the program.

Placement Recruitment

Begin recruitment for the placement through resources such as the ECO Canada Job Board.
Employers can post job opportunities, and students can submit their resumes for consideration.

Contract Finalization

After a match is confirmed between a pre-approved student and employer, contracts are prepared.
Sign and return the contracts to ECO Canada within 15 days of issuance.

Funding Receipt

Employers can receive up to 50% of the wage coverage, to a maximum of $5,000, once the placement begins.
Both employers and students must complete required reports throughout the placement period to maintain funding eligibility.

Additional information

The French version of the website is under development and will be available soon.
The program offers access to a job board for recruitment support.
Both employers and students are required to complete periodic reporting during the placement.
Funding is secured only after a contract is signed and returned within 15 days of issue.

Documents and links

ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program

Apply to this program

Frequently Asked Questions about the ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program Program

Here are answers to the most common questions about the ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.

What is the ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program?

How much funding can be received?

What expenses are eligible under ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program?

Placement of post-secondary students in work positions related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math (STEAM), or Business fields. Facilitation of real-world, on-the-job learning experiences for students in environmental sectors while they are still enrolled in post-secondary education. Collaboration between Canadian businesses and post-secondary institutions to offer meaningful work placements of 6 to 16 weeks duration.