Inject young talent into your small business with Canada Summer Jobs

Canadian small businesses are being urged to apply for federal government funding to hire students for the summer of 2016.

Canada's small businesses are driving the economy, contributing over 77 percent of new private-sector jobs. The Government wants to encourage small business employers by providing the funds to create student jobs through the Canada Summer Jobs program.

Creating jobs boosts the local economy and gives students the tangible experience they need to start the path to a successful career.

In addition to supporting local priorities and small businesses with under 50 employees, Canada Summer Jobs 2016 will focus on applications which complement four national priorities, including support for:

• employers involved in the welcoming and settlement of Syrian refugees to Canada, as well as Syrian students;

• Indigenous people, who are among the fastest-growing segments of the Canadian population; and

• cultural and creative industries seeking to create jobs and to strengthen our rich Canadian identity, specifically those that support the planning of Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.

Public-sector employers and small businesses, with 50 or fewer employees, can receive up to 50 percent of the minimum hourly wage. Not-for-profit employers can receive up to 100 percent of the minimum hourly wage, as well as employment-related costs.

In the past, funding from CSJ has gone to projects that vary in diversity from camp counselling for children with medical, physical and cognitive conditions to library-sponsored reading programs. Applying is easy. Employers can submit their application online at servicecanada.gc.ca/csj from now until February 26.

Since its inception, the Canada Summer Jobs program has funded thousands of employers and created hundreds of thousands of student jobs. Summer 2016 is your chance to train and mentor young Canadians, inspiring them to become tomorrow's business leaders.