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Article content At a press conference on Thursday, Premier Danielle Smith, alongside Jobs, Economy and Trade Minister Joseph Schow, announced the province will be investing $8 million to create a new the Alberta Youth Employment Incentive to push employers to hire youths ages 15-24.
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Article content Smith said the funding will offset training and hiring costs and will allow 1,000 employers to hire approximately 2,500 youths.
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Article content “I strongly encourage you to take us up on this incentive and to take a chance on the young people in our province. This is the next generation of Albertans we’re talking about,” Smith said.
Article content Unemployment has jumped to 8.4 per cent in the past month in the province, according to a report from Alberta-based ATB Financial.
Article content Starting in October, employers will be eligible for two incentives depending on the number of youths hired and the hours. Employers who hire one to two youths for a combined total of minimum 400 hours, will be eligible to receive $4,000. Those who hire three to five youths with a combined total of at least 750 hours will be eligible to receive $7,500.
Article content The province says Alberta will pay $10 of the hourly wage of youth workers hired under the initiative.
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Article content The fund will be managed by CAREERS, a non-profit organization that connects young people with employment. The organization will be responsible for determining eligibility and delivering grants. The applications will be available on the organization’s website, once everything is up and running.
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Article content At a the Alberta Industrial Heartland Association conference on Thursday morning, Schow said he’s “very concerned” about the future of the workforce if young Albertans are unable to “get that first job.” He said the province needs to have more control over its immigration system.
Article content “Having spoken with my counterparts across the country, other provinces feel the same, regardless of political stripe, everyone is dealing with this problem. We are taking concrete action in order to combat that,” Schow said.
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Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi said the announcement was the UCP “throwing more money” at a problem Smith is “not willing to actually solve.”
