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Youth

Lost Generation: Canada's Youth Unemployment Crisis Deepens

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As the summer-student hiring season comes to a close, the jobless numbers paint a bleak picture for Canadian youth. With a record 201,000 young Canadians out of work, one in five members of the youth workforce are struggling to find employment. Julie, a 22-year-old single mom, is one of the many who have given up on finding a job to cover tuition and living expenses. "Others have given up looking," she says, a sentiment echoed by her college-graduate friends who are unemployed or underemployed. The global economic downturn, combined with government cuts to programs like B.C.'s Student Summer Works, has dealt a devastating blow to Canada's youth.

Key Takeaways:

  • Canada's youth unemployment rate has reached a record high, with 201,000 young Canadians out of work.
  • One in five members of the youth workforce (18-24 years old) is struggling to find employment.
  • The global economic downturn has disproportionately affected young people, with 40% of the unemployed population being young workers.
  • Governments have cut or eliminated funding to programs like B.C.'s Student Summer Works, exacerbating the problem.
  • Julie, a 22-year-old single mom, graduates next year but will have to put her studies on hold due to lack of funding.
  • Canadian government announcements of higher than expected deficits will likely lead to further cuts in public spending on workplace preparation for young people.

Statistics:

  • 201,000 young Canadians are out of work, representing one in five members of the youth workforce (18-24 years old).
  • 40% of the unemployed population is young workers (25% of the world's working population).
  • The global recession has disproportionately affected young people, with prolonged unemployment leading to long-term scarring.
  • 30% of Canadian graduates have debt loads between $30,000 to $40,000.
  • The tuition for Julie's course in "Community and the Justice Services" is about $6,000 a year.

Sources:

  • Bank of Montreal economist Douglas Porter
  • Conservative U.K. Economist editorial
  • United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
  • Prince's Trust CEO Martina Milburn
  • The Star
  • The Canadian Press

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