summer jobs

The provincial NDP is calling for a program to help create more summer jobs for youth.

Leader Marit (MAR-it) Stiles is proposing an Ontario Youth Summer Jobs program.

Stiles says the program offers paid employment and training or subsidized placement.

She says it would be a measure that addresses the high rate of youth unemployment in Ontario.

“A 17.7% youth unemployment rate is not normal,” says Stiles.

“In fact, it is more than 10 points higher than Ontario’s overall unemployment rate of 7.5%. And all this comes at a time when life has never been more unaffordable in our province, particularly for the young people who are just trying to get ahead.”

Statistics Canada notes that Ontario has the highest youth unemployment rate in all of Canada.

Stiles says Ford’s jobs plan is just not working for youth.

“While the premier’s approach up until now has been very dismissive and frankly condescending to young people, I think this is an opportunity for him to change things up now,” says Stiles.

“Show people that he understands the situation that young people are facing in this province and show people that he understands that it’s not that they don’t want to work, it’s that the jobs are not there and we can create those opportunities right now.”

MPPs were discussing the NDP’s proposal at Queen’s Park on Monday.