2024 Reports 8 to 12 of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of CanadaCanada Summer Jobs program improved long-term earnings for participants, but youth facing barriers were underrepresented
Ottawa, 2 December 2024—A report from Auditor General Karen Hogan tabled today in the House of Commons concludes that Employment and Social Development Canada’s Summer Jobs program helped improve long‑term earnings for youth who accessed the program, but representation was lower among priority groups who face barriers to employment, such as Indigenous youth and youth with disabilities. One of the program’s objectives is to prioritize youth who face barriers to gaining work experience.
The audit found that Employment and Social Development Canada did little outreach to raise awareness of the program and encourage underrepresented youth to apply to subsidized jobs. Current outreach efforts are mainly through the internet, which may not be accessible to some youth facing barriers. In addition, Employment and Social Development Canada had limited mechanisms to encourage employers to hire from these groups. For example, while an employer may plan to hire youth who face barriers to employment, there is no requirement to do so to receive the subsidy.
The audit also identified gaps in how Employment and Social Development Canada designed and implemented the program. While the program is described as a job creation program, the department does not collect information about whether those jobs would have been created without this funding. As part of the audit, a survey was conducted of employers who had applied to the Canada Summer Jobs program. It found that 38% of those that did not receive funding were able to hire youth regardless.
“While many factors influence long‑term employment results, our analysis shows that after 9 years, youth participants in the Canada Summer Jobs program earned on average almost $6,000 more per year than non‑participants,” said Ms. Hogan. “We also found that since 2008, youth facing barriers have not been well represented in the program, which is concerning because the program is meant to prioritize work opportunities for this group.”
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The 2024 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada, Report 12, Canada Summer Jobs—Employment and Social Development Canada, is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website.
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