Canada Summer Jobs 2027: Applications Open

Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) applications for 2027 are open. Applications are due December 3, 2026 at 11:59pm PST. As always, charity leaders will need to make up their own minds as to whether they are comfortable with the terms and conditions attached to CSJ funding. To help you decide, we’ll look at the requirements for 2027 as set out in the Applicant Guide and the Articles of Agreement.

Key Dates

• December 3, 2026 – deadline to apply
• April 19, 2027 – earliest job start date
• August 28, 2027 – latest job end date

Funding confirmation will be sent to employers starting in April 2027 and all organizations will receive a decision by the end of June.

Quick Overview

Most of the 2027 program requirements are the same as the 2026 CSJ Program requirements. One notable change is that applicant employers must have been in operation for a minimum of 2 years by December 31, 2026, or meet exemption criteria.

To be “in operation” means an organization has:

• A valid CRA business number
• Been actively and continuously providing services or conducting business activities

Organizations in operation for less than 2 years can be considered if they received funding for at least one CSJ position in 2026 and met all of their conditions under the funding agreement.

CSJ 2027 applications can be completed through Grants and Contributions Online Services (GCOS) or through an online fillable PDF. For next year (CSJ 2028), applications will have to go through GCOS as the online fillable PDF will not be available.

Eligibility Information

Except for the “in operation for a minimum of two years” requirement, the eligibility criteria is largely unchanged for 2027.

Eligible employers

Not-for-profit employers remain eligible and faith-based organizations are explicitly included in this category.

Ineligible employers

This includes House of Commons and Senate members or their immediate families, Federal and Provincial government departments, partisan political organizations, and organizations that engage in activities that “directly or indirectly infringe, undermine, weaken, or restrict the exercise of human rights legally protected in Canada.” The 2027 Applicant Guide does not further define what this means.

The 2026 Applicant Guide explained that it meant to “weaken or limit a woman’s ability to access sexual and reproductive health services” (sexuality education, family planning, prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence, safe and legal abortion, and post-abortion care).” Virtually identical wording is found in the CSJ 2027 Applicant Guide, but in reference to prohibited projects and activities as opposed to employers.

Eligible Projects

Projects must still meet 15 requirements and the conditions in the Articles of Agreement.

• Application Requirements:
  • Submit before the deadline
  • Check attestation box
  • Provide a complete application
• Project Requirements:
  • Employer is eligible
  • Project activities are eligible
  • Job is 6-16 consecutive weeks
  • Job is 30-40 hours per week, unless, due to exceptional circumstances, an exception is approved in advance
  • Salary must respect minimum wage requirements
• Financial Information:
  • Declare other sources of funding
  • Declare money owing to the Government of Canada
• Workplace Requirements:
  • Demonstrate adequate health and safety measures relative to job and activities
  • Demonstrate harassment and discrimination-free hiring, work environment
  • Outline a supervision plan
  • Outline a mentoring plan
• Past results of CSJ applications – this includes previous applications, all previous correspondence, information in the public domain, documentation from previous agreements (financial irregularities, health and safety concerns, project default or termination, performance issues), consultation with CRA

Ineligible Projects & Activities

The list of ineligible projects and activities has been slightly altered. Changes for 2027 are indicated in bold for additions and strikethrough for deletions. Ineligible projects and activities includes:

• Activities outside of Canada,
• Activities that are of personal service to an employer,
• Partisan political activities, specifically defined to include activities that promote or oppose a political party, elected official, or candidate
• Fundraising activities to cover the youth’s salary and,
• Project or job activities that:
  • Restrict access to programs, or services, or employment, or otherwise discriminate, contrary to applicable laws, on the basis of prohibited grounds, including sex, genetic characteristics, religion, race, national or ethnic origin, colour, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression;
  • Promote, foster, or actively support advocate intolerance, discrimination, and/or prejudice; or
  • Actively work to weaken or limit undermine or restrict a woman’s access to sexual and reproductive health services, which includes “comprehensive sexuality education, family planning, prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence, safe and legal abortion, and post-abortion care.”

The Attestation

The 2027 Attestation remains the same. The applicant must attest that he or she:

• Has read, understood and will comply with the CSJ Articles of Agreement;
• Has the necessary authority, permission and approvals to submit the CSJ application;
• Certifies that the application information is true, accurate and complete;
• Confirms that neither the job activities nor any of the activities of my organization which are directly or indirectly supported by the job activities in any way infringe, undermine, weaken, or restrict the exercise of rights legally protected in Canada.

Recall that the fourth statement was first added to the 2024 guide and remains in place for 2027.

Assessment Criteria / Program Objectives

Applications are assessed against three main objectives:

Objective One: Provide quality work experiences for youth (30 points)

1. Provide a salary above minimum wage (10)
2. Retain the youth as an employee after the CSJ agreement (5)
3. Youth receives supervision (15)

Objective Two: Provide opportunities for youth to develop and improve their skills (40 points)

1. Youth receives mentoring (13)
2. Youth acquires and develops transferable skills (27)

The 2027 skills are the same as in 2026, and each skill has a detailed description and examples.

Objective Three: Respond to national and local priorities to improve access to the labour market for youth who face unique barriers (30 points)

1. Youth facing barriers to employment (10 points)

Youth facing barriers to employment is a “core objective” of the program. In the past it was been folded into national priorities but since the 2026  program, it is a standalone consideration. Applicants will be specifically asked to select which of the following youth will be prioritized during recruitment:

• Indigenous youth
• Racialized youth
• Black youth
• Youth with disabilities
• Youth in a rural, remote, Northern, or fly-in community
• Youth in an official language minority community
• 2SLGBTQI+ youth

Applicants will also be asked to select from a list as to how these youth will be prioritized during recruitment. If you do prioritize recruiting youth facing barriers, your recruitment and hiring plans could be monitored to ensure they align with the commitment made in your application. Ensure you carefully review this section and be sure to follow through in your recruitment.

2. National priorities (10)

There are four national priorities for 2027, an increase from three in 2026. The first three mirror priorities from 2026, with modest adjustments to language. The fourth priority for 2027 is new. The 2026 restructured points allocation whereby hiring youth facing barriers to employment is its own criteria, rather than a national priority that changes from year to year also remains the same. The priorities are:

A. Jobs related to construction

• This can include design, development, remodeling, renovation, retrofit and repair of buildings, structures, roads, bridgs or other infrastructure
• Work experience can include labour, administrative support, community egnagement, research, etc.

B. Jobs related to environmental protection and/or climate

• Work experience can include conserving or restoring the environment, research, supporting climate solutions through technology, adapting to climate change, etc.

C. Jobs that provide opportunities to develop digital skills or gain exposure to artificial intelligence

D. *NEW*Jobs that provide work experience with not-for-profit organizations that support underserved and equity-deserving communities.

• This can include programs and initiatives to strengthen community and social inclusion; support services that address social, economic, health, housing, food security or accessibility-related needs; accessibility, inclusion and community participation programs; community-based recreation, etc.

3. Local priorities (10)

Local priorities continue to be used to assess applications. Those vary from constituency to constituency.

What to do?

This year the proposed target is approximately 70,000 jobs funded for CSJ 2027. It is always a competitive program with more applications than funds. The government specifically states that “due to oversubscription, not all eligible projects are funded.” That makes it hard to precisely identify why some applications are successful and others are not, and whether religious discrimination is at work.

As always, charity leaders need to make up their own minds as to whether they are comfortable with the terms and conditions attached to CSJ funding. CCCC’s perspective in recent years has been that the phrasing of the Attestation ought not deny the right of religious organizations to speak or teach or live their religious views, even if that doesn’t line up with the government’s worldview. And therefore, as the Guide notes, not-for-profit employers, including “faith-based organizations (for example, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques)” are again eligible to apply for CSJ 2027.

If your charity is interested in CSJ 2027, ensure your application is complete, that it meets as many of the listed priorities as possible, and that your charity is prepared for the possibility of additional scrutiny and questions. If you are a CCCC member with questions or needing support, please feel free to reach out to us. Our Member Support Team is here to help you.

Important CSJ 2027 Links

• 2027 CSJ Applicant Guide
• 2027 CSJ Contribution Agreement / Articles of Agreement
• 2027 CSJ Downloadable PDF Application Form
• Employee Consent Form
• Employer and Employee Declaration (EMP5397)