Skip to content

Trudeau unveils details of grant to help post-secondary students, grads work this summer

Students, recent grads could get up to $5,000
21955732_web1_23398070
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds to a reporters question during a news conference outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, Monday June 22, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

The federal government is launching the Canada Student Service Grant to allow post-secondary students and recent grads to get experience, serve their community and get funding for it.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement from the steps of Rideau Cottage Thursday (June 25.)

The program would provide students with $1,000 to $5,000 to pay for tuition in the fall or to get work experience in the midst of an economic downturn. The money, which was will paid out in a lump sum, depends on the amount of volunteer hours completed between Thursday, June 25 and Saturday, Oct. 31:

  • 100 hours for $1,000
  • 200 hours for $2,000
  • 300 hours for $3,000
  • 400 hours for $4,000
  • 500 hours for $5,000

Applicants must hit each threshold before earning the amount.

Trudeau said the program was important because “there are fewer jobs and many coop internship and community placements due to the pandemic.” He said the student service grant would create “tens of thousands of jobs.”

In order to be eligible, students must be enrolled and attending a post-secondary institution during spring, summer or fall 2020; have graduated no earlier than December 2019; be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, First Nations, Metis, Inuit or have refugee status; and be 30 years old or younger as of Dec. 31, 2020.

International students are not eligible for the program, but Canadian students studying abroad but currently living in Canada can apply.

Those receiving the Canada Emergency Student Benefit – $1,250 a month, or $2,000 for those with disabilities or dependants – are eligible, as are students who are employed. Students receiving a micro-grant though the Canada Service Corps program may apply their hours towards the new grant.

Students who are getting the Canada Emergency Response Benefit – $2,000 per month – or have ever gotten it, are not eligible.

For more information, or to apply, students and recent graduates can visit: https://www.iwanttohelp.org.

Trudeau also announced $40 million, which will come out of a $9-billion fund previously set aside for student during the pandemic, will go towards creating 5,000 Mitacs internships with the non-governmental organization. Trudeau said that although Mitacs is usually for doctorate or masters level students , the funding will allow the organizations to connect students with the private sector.

READ MORE: Canada’s students start looking for summer work, with few options in usual places

READ MORE: Feds unveil new COVID-19 emergency benefit for students, $9B in funding


@katslepian

katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Want to support local journalism during the pandemic? Make a donation here.