Alberta NDP’s Notley promises to spend $10M to revive student summer job program

EDMONTON – Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley is promising to revive a program for student summer jobs if her party wins the provincial election.

Notley says the NDP would restore $10 million a year in funding for the Student Temporary Employment Program, better known as STEP.

READ MORE: Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley releases election platform

She estimates it would create an extra 3,000 student jobs each year.

She says it’s time to reverse the cuts to the program made in 2013 under former premier Alison Redford.

“It’s also a program which is exceptionally important to our non-profit sector. Community organizations and non-profit organizations across Alberta rely on STEP in the summer to help provide important services to the people in the community.”

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READ MORE: School boards scold education cuts, Alberta PCs say use cash reserves

The NDP has promised job creation will be a cornerstone of its government.

Notley has previously said they will also implement a job creation tax credit that would refund 10 per cent of each new employee’s salary to a maximum salary of $50,000.