EDMONTON — A popular summer program that was eliminated by the PC government two years ago will soon be up and running again.
The Alberta NDP announced plans in its 2015 budget to reinstate the Summer Temporary Employment Program.
“Students hold the future in their hands. Their success is Alberta’s success, and we need to provide every opportunity to succeed,” said Premier Rachel Notley. “We are helping open doors for students to gain the skills and on-the-job experience they need to enter the workforce and be successful.”
STEP, which cost taxpayers $7.1 million per year, was axed by the PCs in March 2013. About 3,000 summer jobs, including the popular Green Shack program in Edmonton parks, were eliminated.
READ MORE: Survey examines impact of losing Summer Temporary Employment Program
The City of Edmonton stepped up and pitched in money to keep the Green Shack program going. About 100 Edmonton community leagues also threw in about $1,000 each.
“It’s been a couple years now and it was starting to look like it was going to be a permanent thing that the leagues were going to be asked for $1,000 every year sort of thing,” said Allan Bolstad, with the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues.
“That’ll be a relief to the leagues because I’m not sure how long they were going to be able to keep up this funding each year.”
The NDP has earmarked $10 million per year for the next two years to bring STEP back.
“We want to support Alberta businesses and our future generation, and STEP is just one way we’re doing that,” said Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour Lori Sigurdson. “We are helping employers who want to grow their business, setting up our students on a path to a rewarding career, and building our province’s future.”
The reintroduction of the program is welcome news to the Alberta Students’ Executive Council.
“We are really, really excited,” said ASEC Chair Kristen George. “The STEP program was something a lot of students depended on, especially for summer employment.”
She said the summer jobs really helped ease the financial burden for post-secondary students, particularly those from rural areas of the province.
“The STEP program actually allows them to come back to visit their families over the summer and work there,” she said. “Students really had a good opportunity to make a lot of money really fast.”
STEP will start up again in 2016.
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