Minister Murray highlights youth recovery investments in Budget 2021

Today, Minister of Digital Government, the Honourable Joyce Murray, met with post-secondary students from Memorial University of Newfoundland and was joined by Gudie Hutchings, Member of Parliament for Long Range Mountains, to discuss youth recovery investments from Budget 2021: A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth, and Resilience.

The COVID-19 recession has disproportionately affected low-wage workers, young people, women, and racialized Canadians. For businesses, it has been a two-speed recession, with some finding ways to prosper and grow, but many businesses-especially small businesses-fighting to survive. Budget 2021 is an historic investment to address the specific wounds of the COVID-19 recession, put people first, create jobs, grow the middle class, set businesses on a track for long-term growth, and ensure that Canada's future will be healthier, more equitable, greener, and more prosperous.

The Government of Canada's response to the current crisis represents the largest ever investment in young Canadians - totaling $13.1 billion over six years. This represents one of the largest youth support packages from around the world. Canada's growth and prosperity well into the future depends on new opportunities for young people today. Budget 2021 builds on Canada's investments in youth with over $5.7 billion over the next five years to help young Canadians pursue and complete their education, and to create 215,000 new job skills development and work opportunities.

Canada entered the pandemic in a strong fiscal position. This allowed the government to take quick and decisive action, supporting people and businesses, and put it in the position to make historic investments in the recovery.

Quick Facts

• Budget 2021 includes $101.4 billion over three years in proposed investments as part of the Government of Canada's growth plan that will create good jobs and support a resilient and inclusive recovery. Key measures include:
  • Providing $80 million over three years, starting in 2021-22, to help CanCode reach 3 million more students - with an even greater focus on underrepresented groups - and 120,000 more teachers. The CanCode program helps young people gain coding and digital skills needed to succeed in a 21^st century economy.
  • Building on Canada's investments in youth with over $5.7 billion over the next five years to help young Canadians pursue and complete their education, and to create 215,000 new job skills development and work opportunities.
  • Investing $4.1 billion to make student debt easier to pay down, and to provide direct support to students with the greatest need.
  • Providing $118.4 million to conduct a two-year pilot expansion of the Supports for Student Learning Program. These funds would support national and local after-school organizations who work to ensure that vulnerable children and youth can graduate high school, and do not become further marginalized because of the pandemic.
  • Investing $721 million over the next two years to help connect youth and students with employers and provide them with quality job opportunities.
  • Providing $708 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to Mitacs, a not-for-profit organizations that connects young workers with innovative businesses for research and training opportunities, to create at least 85,000 work-integrated learning placements that provide on-the-job learning and provides businesses with support to develop talent and grow.
  • Providing $470 million over three years, beginning in 2021-22, to Employment and Social Development Canada to establish a new Apprenticeship Service to help 55,000 first-year apprentices in construction and manufacturing Red Seal trades connect with opportunities at small- and medium-sized employers.
  • Providing high-quality education for First Nations students by investing $1.2 billion over five years, and $181.8 million ongoing in the futures of First Nations children.
  • Providing $150.6 million over two years, starting in 2021-22, to support Indigenous students through the Post-Secondary Student Support Program and the Inuit and Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategies.
  • Providing $26.4 million, in 2021-22, through the Post-Secondary Partnerships Program and the Inuit and Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategies to support Indigenous post-secondary institutions during COVID-19.