The Department of Agriculture says it fell well short of its goal to place Canadian youth in subsidized farm jobs, acknowledging that its expectations were unrealistic and the program underdelivered.Blacklock's Reporter says an internal evaluation of the Youth Employment and Skills Program found that only 32% of participants secured employment after the program, far below the original 60% target. The report noted that officials believed the benchmark was “set too high” from the beginning.The five-year program, which cost $48 million, subsidized wages for 4,355 young Canadians under age 30 to work on farms. It covered up to $14,000 per intern, with a base subsidy of 50%, rising to 80% for youth considered to face employment barriers, such as immigrants, high school dropouts, racialized individuals, people with disabilities or those who are indigenous..Despite its poor job-placement results, the program did offer many young people their first exposure to agriculture. According to the report, all interns interviewed said they gained valuable experience, including agricultural knowledge and broader life and problem-solving skills. One farmer commented that farming “helps young people build character by teaching life lessons some youth may have missed out on.”.Still, the agriculture sector remains beset by labour shortages and an aging workforce. The average Canadian farm operator is now 56 years old, according to Statistics Canada. A previous survey of producers found that hiring remains difficult across all skill levels, particularly in poultry, fruit, vegetable, and organic operations.A 2019 Senate report also warned that agriculture jobs suffer from an image problem. It said many Canadians view the sector as synonymous with hard work and low pay, and recommended students learn more about the real nature of agricultural work.The department says it hopes the program helped raise awareness among youth and their families about opportunities in the sector, but acknowledged a “disconnect” persists between public perception and the realities of farm employment.
