MP Wayne Stetski says he was instrumental in awarding more than $600,000 in federal assistance to create summer jobs for Kootenay- Columbia students.
The Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) Initiative contributes annually to aid in creating jobs for students aged 15 to 30. This year the federal government provided additional funding of $242,644 earmarked for youth employment in the Kootenay-Columbia riding.
Because programs like CSJ can help bolster local economies, Stetski took an active role in distributing the funds and in allocating the additional federal assistance to ensure that jobs were created throughout the Kootenay-Columbia region.
“I assigned jobs funding for as many as 175 students in the riding, and gave particular consideration to communities that were impacted by the loss of a major employer,” Stetski said in a statement.
The Kootenay-Columbia MP said the program is about helping young people to acquire valuable experience and workplace skills.
Stetski set the priorities for the region, including support for projects in tourism, arts and culture, the environment and food security. The NDP Member of Parliament assigned grants to non-profit organizations, public sector employers as well as small businesses, the statement said.
