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Green jobs for more than 3,500 students

The Canadian government is providing more than $26 million of funding to create 3,725 green job opportunities for students across the country.

“Canada’s young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow — they are leaders today,” said Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Patty Hajdu.

The following paid opportunities are being rolled out through the summer and fall 2018 and summer 2019: 

• Project Learning Tree Canada will provide a variety of employment opportunities for 1,150 students across nine provinces in areas like natural resource management, conservation and environmental research;
• Project Learning Tree Canada (in collaboration with Canadian Parks Council) will provide jobs for 638 students in provincial and territorial parks across the country;
• The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association will provide green job placements for up to 1,200 students in municipalities, Indigenous communities and other parks and recreation sector organizations across Canada, allowing them to advance their green priorities;
• The United Nations Association in Canada will create summer jobs for 400 students in parks and natural settings across Canada to broaden their environmental understanding and ignite Canada’s green economy;
• The Nature Conservancy of Canada will provide 16-week internships for 175 students across 10 provinces to help achieve its nature conservation objectives;
• Evergreen will provide 162 students with summer work experience in green sectors across 10 Canadian regions, in places like municipal parks, schools, community centres and city day camps.

More than 450 youth have been placed in green jobs across nine provinces in Canada so far this year.

“PLT Canada’s mission focuses on educating youth and inspiring them to become forest and conservation leaders,” said Kathy Abusow, chief executive officer at Project Learning Tree Canada. “Ensuring youth are engaged and encouraged to pursue careers in the great outdoors will be critical to the future of Canada’s forests. This program is inspiring leadership in forest management, creating partnerships with Indigenous and conservation groups, and instilling passion for science-based research and education.”

Almost 100 students are working in and around the Thunder Bay area, including in the Indigenous Youth Ranger program run by Outland Camps, which focuses on connecting Indigenous youth to opportunities in the forest and conservation sectors.