Small businesses looking to recruit employees through the Canada Summer Jobs subsidy are running out of time.

The deadline to apply to Canada Summer Jobs is Tuesday at 3 p.m.  The program provides wage subsidies to employers from not-for-profit organizations, the public sector, and private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees, to create quality summer work experiences for young people aged 15 to 30 years.

“It provides help to young Canadians to help them develop skills and gain paid work experience, to help them successfully transition into the labour market,” said Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MP Lianne Rood.

Rood said the program created 411 jobs locally in 2021, with the federal government providing total funding of $1.3 million in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex alone.

“Employers are given the opportunity to help mentor youth,” she said. “It also helps smaller businesses that may not be able to afford to hire youth to give them experience. It’s an opportunity for some funding so they can help give back to the youth in the community.”

If eligible, businesses can utilize youth employees through the program between April 25 and September 3. The job will need to be full-time with a minimum of 30 hours a week and a duration of at least six weeks.

The federal government has committed to creating 100,000 jobs through the program in 2022.

For further information about the Canada Summer Jobs program and the application process, click here.