Up to $30,000 is available to cover 80% of an intern’s salary, training and wrap-around service costs. Employers must establish an employment contract with interns, and they must be paid following a regular payment cycle.

For employers hiring job ready youth, up to $20,000 is available to cover 80% of an intern’s salary.

For employers hiring youth facing barriers to employment can receive up to $25,000 to cover 80% of an intern’s salary. Youth facing barriers to employment includes:

• Women
• Racialized youth
• Youth living with a disability
• Indigenous youth
• Youth from a rural, remote, northern, or fly-in community
• 2SLGBTQI+ youth

Up to $5,000 can also be used for intern training and wrap-around service costs during the internship. Employers are required to cover 20% of the total internship cost.

Reimbursement will be dispersed midway and at the end of the internship when the required documentation, including intern paystubs, is submitted.

Cannot be used:

• For positions receiving a Science Horizons Youth Internship grant from another program delivery partner
• for a currently filled position
• to replace an employee who is on leave
• for a current employee moving to a new position

Here is what to expect when submitting your application:

• The Career Launcher team will review all applications on an ongoing basis.
• Employers will be notified of their application status approximately 2-3 weeks after submission.
• Employers whose applications will be pre-approved for funding will have approximately 2 weeks to complete the remainder of the application process if they have an intern selected. If recruitment is required, they will have 5 weeks to recruit an intern and 2 weeks to complete the rest of the process. Specific deadlines will be provided in the pre-approval email.

Internships will be selected based on:

• Alignment with the Science Horizons Youth Internship Program objectives to support post-secondary graduates to gain relevant and meaningful work experience, increase job readiness and employability, and transition to employment.
• Creation of an employment opportunity for Indigenous youth, youth living with a disability and visible minority youth.
• Strength of the position and its alignment with an environmental sector indicated under “Eligible Internships”
• Environmental sector representation – we seek a fair disbursement of funds for positions across all the above environmental sectors
• Geographical representation – we seek a fair disbursement of funds across Canada
• Strength of the position and its alignment with the SDGs.

Up to $5,000 is available to enhance intern experience!

This funding can be used to cover costs of various wrap-around services. These services must be selected based on the needs of the intern and employer and must be pre-approved by CICan.

Acceptable training and wrap around expenses include:

• Certifications and Training at a CICan member college or institute
• Language opportunities for official minority language communities
• Mentorship and career coaching
• Conferences and workshops
• Transportation and relocation costs associated with the internship
• Childcare and family care
• Work protective equipment
• Adaptive and/or assistive computer software programs and technology

Although $5,000 is available, each service is subject to a funding cap; this cap varies per service. Please consult our guideline document to view more details about eligible training and wrap around services and the various funding caps.

Cost will be reimbursed along with the final wage subsidy payment at end of the internship. Invoices and supporting documents will be required.

Eligible employers must have an established payroll system, be set up to receive payments by direct deposit, have a process for supervising and mentoring interns, encourage their intern to consider the wrap-around services or training they qualify for and be a Canadian company or subsidiary in one of the following categories:

• Post-secondary education institution
• Indigenous organization (including band councils, tribal councils and self-government entities)
• Small- or medium-sized enterprise (SME), less than 500 employees
• Large corporation, more than 500 employees
• Non-government organization (NGO)
• Not-for-profit organization
• Municipal or local government
• Provincial or territorial government, institution, agency or Crown corporation

Eligible internships are:

• 6-11 months (26 to 48 weeks) in duration, and ending by February 28, 2025
• A minimum of 30 hrs per week
• In a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) field
• Clean tech or environment-related positions
• focused on environmental and sustainable issues within an environmental sector:
  • Eco Tourism – Nature-based tourism focused on an appreciation and respect of local ecology and Indigenous peoples/practices.
  • Green Manufacturing/Retail/Service – Goods/services which minimize environmental impacts.
  • Health – Technologies and practices related to health and the environment.
  • Resource Conservation/Management and Sustainable Development – Protection or sustainable use of natural resources.
  • Sustainable Energy Systems – Design, construction, improvement, and maintenance of low-carbon and/or renewable energy sources/infrastructure.
  • Sustainable Planning – The planning and construction of built spaces including buildings, cities, rural communities.
  • Wildlife Conservation – The protection of species in Canada.

Eligible interns are:

• Post-secondary graduates
• Between the ages of 15-30 (inclusive) at the start of the internship
• Canadian citizens, permanent residents or persons granted refugee status in Canada*
• Legally allowed to work according to the relevant provincial and Canadian legislation and regulations
• Available to work for at least six months (26 weeks)

Cannot be:

• Previous participants of a Science Horizon Internship
• Employees of the hiring employer prior to the start of their internship (does not apply to previous coop students or student interns, although this must be clearly indicated by the employer)

* Refugee protection must be conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Persons awaiting refugee status, as well as those who hold a temporary visitor visa, student visa or work visa, are ineligible to participate in a Youth Employment Strategy initiative.