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Canada’s ag industry adds 800 jobs for youth in the coming year

Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced that approximately 800 new positions are expected to be created through the Youth Employment and Skills Program for the 2020/2021 program year.

The enhanced program, which launched on May 26, 2020, is now fully subscribed and the application intake is closed. Eligible applicants included producers, agri-businesses, industry associations, provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous organizations and research facilities.

In May, the federal government announced an additional funding of $9.2 million to help the agriculture industry attract Canadian youth, ages 15 to 30, to their organizations to assist with labour shortages brought on by the pandemic. The funding will provide agriculture employers up to 50 per cent of the cost of hiring a Canadian youth up to $14,000.

At that time, it was announced that the program would fund 700 youth jobs. This program provides youth from across the country, and particularly youth facing barriers to employment, with job experience in agriculture that will provide career-related work experience.

“Our food producers are working hard to feed Canada, and labour shortages brought on by the pandemic have had an impact. The applications received for this program demonstrate that youth are eager to take advantage of the many employment opportunities available in the agriculture and agri-food sector and to gain valuable work experience. I am pleased to see so many young Canadians interested in challenging and meaningful careers in one of our country’s most dynamic and resilient sectors,” said Minister Bibeau in a released statement.