Item - 2025.EC18.6

The Economic and Community Development Committee: 

1. Referred the item to the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration for further consideration, with a request to consult relevant City partners and include in a fourth quarter of 2025 report-back:

a. An inventory of existing City of Toronto youth employment programs;

b. Opportunities and resources required, including intergovernmental funding, for new or expanded City of Toronto youth employment programs, in order to achieve the target of up to 10,000 additional summer jobs for young people by 2026; and,

c. Alignment of youth employment definitions, objectives and targets with City commitments, including but not limited to: Inclusive Economic Development Framework, and Poverty Reduction Strategy and the Year One Progress Report on the Action Plan for Toronto's Economy.

City Council on December 17 and 18, 2024, referred Motion MM24.2 to the Economic and Community Development Committee for consideration.

Youth unemployment in Toronto is at crisis levels, with the city experiencing the highest rates since 2014, with exception made for 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This lack of economic opportunities disproportionately impacts equity-deserving groups such as Black, Indigenous, and youth living in priority neighbourhoods or Toronto Community Housing. The consequences are severe - youth firearm arrests have spiked 161 percent over the past two years, with youth perpetrating two-thirds of violent carjackings. Research shows clear links between youth unemployment and increased risks of violence, crime, and justice system involvement.

Investing in robust youth employment programs has proven to be an effective upstream prevention mechanism to break this cycle. Successful initiatives in cities like Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, and New York have seen significant decreases in violent crime after implementing robust Summer Youth Employment Programs. Youth Employment Programs provide proven protective factors like job skills training, mentorship, networking opportunities, wraparound support, and tailored programming for equity-deserving groups. Nearly 90 percent of Summer Youth Employment Programs participants in the aforementioned Cities report developing new skills, making community connections, and increased hope for their future.

This motion was initiated through the advocacy efforts of the Toronto Youth Cabinet, the City of Toronto’s official youth advocacy body, who have been actively engaging youth across the city and amplifying their voices.

Over the past year, the Toronto Youth Cabinet and its partners including; The Neighborhood Group Community Services, The Neighborhood Organization, have engaged over 30,000 youth across the city, where young people have told them directly about their desire for meaningful and gainful employment opportunities to learn, grow, contribute to communities, and develop skills for long-term career success.

Youth have expressed their strong support for a Toronto Youth Employment Program, especially as youth unemployment levels are at their highest since 2014, coupled with significant cuts to employment services. The most vulnerable youth - particularly Black, Indigenous, those living in priority neighbourhoods and Toronto Community Housing - are disproportionately impacted. This has severely impacted their ability to develop job skills, social capital, community connections, and a sense of hope for the future, with dire consequences like the spike in youth involvement in serious violence.

The federal government has recognized the importance of youth employment through initiatives like the Canada Summer Jobs program. Most recently, the Government of Canada announced a proposed $200.5 million investment for 2025–26 in the Canada Summer Jobs program. However, dedicated funding streams are required to meet Toronto's specific needs. The Province of Ontario also has existing youth employment programs that could be leveraged through greater investment in the city. The City of Toronto has existing youth employment initiatives through agencies like Toronto Community Housing and programs like Toronto Youth Partnerships and Employment, but a coordinated, multi-sectoral large-scale strategy is still lacking.

Toronto’s 10 Year SafeTO: A Community Safety and Well-Being Plan has prioritized investing in people and providing economic opportunities to reduce youth violence. A large-scale Youth Employment Program, developed in partnership with the private sector, community organizations, and coordinated across the City's Divisions, Agencies, Boards and Corporations, directly aligns with this goal.

This motion presents an opportunity for collaborative action. This is more than just a job creation effort - it is an upstream investment in Toronto's future. By aligning various funding sources, conducting capacity assessments, and fostering cross-sector partnerships, the City can create a comprehensive Toronto Youth Employment Strategy. Providing 10,000 additional summer jobs for youth aged 15-24 by 2026 through a Youth Employment Program will equip young people with skills, mentors, capacity-building and pathways to economic security and career success, while also preventing violence through productive engagement.