(Newmarket-Aurora, Ontario, February 11, 2011) - Newmarket-Aurora MP Lois Brown is encouraging employers willing to provide a summer job opportunity for students to apply for this year’s Canada Summer Jobs program.

“Canada Summer Jobs is a program designed on local priorities while achieving tangible results for both students and their communities,” said Brown.

The initiative provides funding to non-profit, public-sector and small private-sector employers with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year.

Starting in 2011, the Government of Canada is permanently increasing the budget for Canada Summer Jobs by $10 million, bringing the total program budget to $107.5 million. As many as 3,500 additional jobs will be created throughout Canada.

“The Canada Summer Jobs Program has been a great success in Newmarket-Aurora, benefiting employer and student alike,” said Brown.

The Newmarket Chamber of Commerce is one example of an employer benefiting from last year’s program.

“The Newmarket Chamber of Commerce was fortunate to work with an energetic, knowledgeable and dedicated summer student to lead several initiatives including client outreach, data management and programming,” said Karen Dubeau, Vice-President of the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce. “The diversity of skills, knowledge and the student's enthusiasm were a huge asset to the Chamber team, and her contributions were extremely valuable.  The Canada Summer Jobs Program gave the Chamber a unique opportunity to directly engage with a talented individual, provided a great training and mentoring opportunity for our student, and allowed the Chamber to undertake strategic programs that without funding, would not have been possible.”

Interested employers can apply online at www.servicecanada.gc.ca/csj2011 or at their local Service Canada Centre. Applications must be submitted by February 28, 2011.