Increased funding creates more jobs for students

Increased federal funding will put more students in summer jobs this year.

Neil Ellis, Bay of Quinte MP, making the announcement at Loyalist College.

Neil Ellis, Bay of Quinte riding MP announced the increase for the Canada Summer Jobs program at Loyalist College, Wednesday. The funding – increased by $505,000, impacts local students, not-for-profit agencies and small businesses in Prince Edward County, Belleville, and Quinte West.

Locally, funding increased from an estimated $290,000 that would have been allotted under the previous program, to nearly $800,000 in 2016. With increased funding the number of jobs being created in the Bay of Quinte increases from an estimated 115 in 2015 to 303 in 2016 – an increase of 188 jobs.

The new summer funding will create 140 jobs in Belleville, 98 in the County and 65 in Quinte West.

“After consulting with local applicants from previous years, we learned that both employers and student workers would benefit from longer terms of employment,” said Ellis. “It became a priority to give as many not-for-profit agencies and small businesses enough funding to provide the maximum amount of workable hours and training time for students – up to 12 weeks of employment.”

Suzanne Humphreys, Children’s Librarian at the Quinte West Public Library and guest speaker at the announcement, said she was thrilled when she heard the library received funding for three students this summer, instead of their usual one student.

“We can now provide children’s reading programs at the Frankford Public Library, something we would not have been able to offer without receiving Canada Summer Jobs funding to hire enough students to run our programs,” said Humphries.

Prince Edward County Mayor Robert Quaiff, Belleville Mayor Taso Christopher, and Loyalist College President and CEO Maureen Piercy were also in attendance to show their support for the boost to local youth employment.

“The local impact of the Canada Summer Jobs program is substantial,” said Ellis. “Students in our community have far greater access to job opportunities that will allow them to gain valuable experience related to their fields of study, and we are grateful to have been a part of this experience with the employers and students.”

As part of the program, not-for-profit agencies are eligible for up to 100 per cent funding of the provincial minimum wage and mandatory employment-related costs. Businesses and municipalities are eligible for up to 50 per cent funding of the provincial minimum wage.

Applications are submitted based on the criteria that an organization or business has 50 or fewer employees, and who intend to hire students aged 15 to 30 who are returning to school in the fall.