Youth Employment and Skills Strategy - Canada Summer Jobs Wage Subsidy

• Not-for-profit employers may receive up to 100% reimbursement of the provincial or territorial adult minimum hourly wage and full coverage for Mandatory Employment Related Costs (MERCs).
• Public and private sector employers with 50 or fewer full-time employees may receive up to 50% of the minimum hourly wage (no reimbursement for MERCs).
• Funding is provided only for jobs that are full-time (30–40 hours per week), for a duration between 6 and 16 consecutive weeks.
• Maximum advance payments: up to 75% of the total agreement value for projects $100,000 and under, and up to 50% for projects over $100,000.
• Reimbursement applies solely to the minimum wage for the province or territory at the time of employment, regardless of higher salary paid.

• The applicant must be an employer from a not-for-profit organization, a public sector organization, or a private sector organization with 50 or fewer full-time employees across Canada.
• The organization must be registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and have a business number.
• The organization must have a CRA payroll deductions program account (RP) prior to hiring youth through the program.
• The proposed project must provide full-time work experience in Canada (30 to 40 hours per week) for a duration between 6 and 16 consecutive weeks, within the specified program dates.
• The work environment must be safe, inclusive, and free from harassment and discrimination, complying with all relevant laws and regulations.

Who is eligible?

• Not-for-profit organizations (including community, charitable, voluntary organizations, faith-based organizations, professional and industrial associations, Indigenous not-for-profits, non-governmental organizations, unions, sector councils, and not-for-profit band councils)
• Public sector organizations (public health and educational institutions, municipal governments and agencies, school boards, territorial governments, public colleges and universities)
• Private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees (incorporated or unincorporated businesses, partnerships, sole proprietorships, financial institutions, businesses, independent franchise owners, Indian Band corporations, private health and educational institutions, private band councils, private universities or colleges)

Who is not eligible

• Federal government departments and agencies
• Provincial departments and agencies
• Members of the House of Commons or the Senate, or their immediate family members
• Organizations engaged in partisan political activities
• Organizations that directly or indirectly infringe, undermine, weaken, or restrict the exercise of human rights legally protected in Canada

Eligible expenses

• Wages for youth participants, up to the applicable provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage (up to 100% for not-for-profit employers; up to 50% for public and private sector employers).
• Mandatory Employment Related Costs (MERCs) associated with the minimum wage for not-for-profit employers, including Employment Insurance premiums, Canada or Quebec Pension Plan contributions, vacation pay, workers' compensation premiums or equivalent liability insurance, and other relevant statutory deductions depending on the province or territory.
• Overhead costs related to accommodation measures for youth with disabilities, such as personal tools, workplace adaptations, and professional support services, subject to case-by-case approval.

Eligible geographic areas

• Companies established in all provinces and territories of Canada.
• Employment must necessarily take place within Canadian territory.

• Provision of quality work experiences for youth, including salary above minimum wage, retention plans, and effective supervision (30 points).
• Opportunities for youth to develop and improve their skills, through mentoring and identified skill development outcomes (45 points).
• Alignment with national and local priorities to improve access to the labour market for youth facing unique barriers (25 points).

• Employers and youth participants funded through Canada Summer Jobs may be required to complete feedback questionnaires regarding their experience.
• Successful employers may be randomly selected for inspections or audits, where financial documentation and interviews with participants could be requested.
• Some employer and project details, such as organization name and funding amount, will be posted publicly on government websites if funding is approved.
• Employers must ensure privacy and health and safety requirements are met, including compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.