You have outlined a challenging dilemma, Geezer. For many reasons, Canada suffers due to aggressive and punishing trade sanctions from the US. Other challenging aspects are the high cost of food and housing which are not uniquely Canadian issues.
So it is concerning that the younger age groups are suffering the most. And there will be an increase of their disillusionment in the Canadian space. So, I am concerned that a small minority of this group may turn to radicalism or extremist viewpoints - always lurking in our society.
I can only hope all levels of government are aware of these issues and take some individual or collective efforts to ameliorate this problem.
No one in the private sector wants to deal with years of bureaucracy and courts, and then have several protesters destroy that private effort in a night… otherwise, US will build the pipelines and terminals
A minor silver lining...the cash flow from oil sales will pay the increased EI costs for those that were lucky enough to have earned some protection before they were laid off.
Hopefully when PM Mark Carney and the Liberal party soon gets their majority, they can act quickly to track down and deport the 2 million people currently in Canada with expired visas who remain in Canada anyway. Since this is more likely to be young people - this would help greatly our young people who are most affected by unemployment. This is within control of our federal government, not Trump, not the USA. Let’s see if they act.
The article highlights a troubling trend: youth unemployment in Canada has climbed to 14.1% among Canadians aged 15–24, far higher than the roughly 5.5–5.6% unemployment rate for adults over 25. When the economy slows, businesses protect experienced workers and freeze entry-level hiring. The result is predictable: young people lose the first rung on the career ladder.
Canada has faced this pattern before. The challenge is not only economic cycles—it is the absence of a structured pathway that helps young people gain skills, experience, and work habits before entering the labour market.
One policy solution worth serious discussion is a mandatory, non-military national service program for Canadians aged 18–24 (with optional early participation beginning at 15 through school programs). Properly designed, such a program could address youth unemployment while strengthening communities.
Turning a Gap Year into a Skill Year
Instead of allowing economic downturns to strand young people outside the labour market, a national service program would guarantee every young Canadian a structured year of service focused on skill development.
Participants could work in areas such as:
• community sport and recreation programs
• environmental restoration and climate projects
• infrastructure and community development
• elder care and public health initiatives
• Indigenous community partnerships
• youth mentorship and education programs
These placements would not replace private-sector jobs. Rather, they would operate in the public and community sectors where labour shortages already exist.
Building Work Skills Before the Workforce
The biggest challenge young workers face today is not lack of ambition—it is lack of experience. Employers consistently say the same thing: they want workers who already have teamwork skills, leadership ability, reliability, and problem-solving experience.
A national service year would provide exactly that.
Participants could receive:
• modest living stipends
• tuition credits or student loan reductions
• coaching or leadership certifications
• academic credit through participating universities and colleges
• micro-credentials in community leadership and program management
Instead of drifting through underemployment, young Canadians would emerge from service with verifiable skills, references, and work experience.
Strengthening the Economy and Communities
A national service system would also address labour shortages in sectors that struggle to recruit workers, including community recreation, elder care, environmental management, and youth programming.
Programs delivered through universities, municipalities, and organizations such as U Sports could create thousands of service placements across the country.
In effect, the program would function as a national leadership and workforce development system.
Investing in the Next Generation
Canada’s economy may rise and fall with global markets, oil prices, or trade disputes. But one thing remains constant: the need to develop capable citizens and skilled workers.
When youth unemployment rises above 14%, the danger is not just lost income. It is lost momentum at the beginning of a lifetime of work.
A national service program would ensure that even during economic downturns, young Canadians are learning, contributing, and building skills rather than waiting for opportunity to appear.
In a period when Canada is searching for new nation-building ideas, investing in the development of the next generation may be the most important one of all.
You have outlined a challenging dilemma, Geezer. For many reasons, Canada suffers due to aggressive and punishing trade sanctions from the US. Other challenging aspects are the high cost of food and housing which are not uniquely Canadian issues.
So it is concerning that the younger age groups are suffering the most. And there will be an increase of their disillusionment in the Canadian space. So, I am concerned that a small minority of this group may turn to radicalism or extremist viewpoints - always lurking in our society.
I can only hope all levels of government are aware of these issues and take some individual or collective efforts to ameliorate this problem.
Good point, Scott.
When young people feel locked out of the system, frustration looks for somewhere to go.
The best way to keep societies stable isn’t slogans or lectures.
It’s making sure the next generation actually has a future worth building.
Build more pipelines and oil/LNG export terminals, and enjoy the new jobs
Energy exports matter.
But pipelines boost GDP, not necessarily entry-level jobs.
The problem I’m pointing to in this article is simple...
Young Canadians are struggling to get into the workforce at all.
That’s a different challenge.
You willing to pay for them? No private company wants to touch the pipeline. There is one that is not even to full capacity
They are
No one in the private sector wants to deal with years of bureaucracy and courts, and then have several protesters destroy that private effort in a night… otherwise, US will build the pipelines and terminals
That debate has been going in circles for a long time.
Energy policy matters.
But the article is about something more immediate... young Canadians struggling to get a first job.
GDP and employment don’t always move together.
Another excellent analysis! Loved the clarity around higher energy prices don’t translate into more jobs for those just starting out.
A minor silver lining...the cash flow from oil sales will pay the increased EI costs for those that were lucky enough to have earned some protection before they were laid off.
That’s a fair observation, Jim.
Higher oil prices will certainly boost government revenues, and that can help cushion the impact through programs like EI.
The challenge is that EI is a safety net, not a solution.
It helps people survive a downturn, but it doesn’t solve the bigger issue of young Canadians struggling to get their first foothold in the job market.
That’s the piece we really have to figure out.
Hopefully when PM Mark Carney and the Liberal party soon gets their majority, they can act quickly to track down and deport the 2 million people currently in Canada with expired visas who remain in Canada anyway. Since this is more likely to be young people - this would help greatly our young people who are most affected by unemployment. This is within control of our federal government, not Trump, not the USA. Let’s see if they act.
Immigration debates tend to get heated quickly.
The specific issue in this article is youth unemployment rising sharply as businesses pause hiring.
When the economy gets uncertain, young workers are almost always the first group to feel it.
That’s the pattern showing up in the numbers right now.
The article highlights a troubling trend: youth unemployment in Canada has climbed to 14.1% among Canadians aged 15–24, far higher than the roughly 5.5–5.6% unemployment rate for adults over 25. When the economy slows, businesses protect experienced workers and freeze entry-level hiring. The result is predictable: young people lose the first rung on the career ladder.
Canada has faced this pattern before. The challenge is not only economic cycles—it is the absence of a structured pathway that helps young people gain skills, experience, and work habits before entering the labour market.
One policy solution worth serious discussion is a mandatory, non-military national service program for Canadians aged 18–24 (with optional early participation beginning at 15 through school programs). Properly designed, such a program could address youth unemployment while strengthening communities.
Turning a Gap Year into a Skill Year
Instead of allowing economic downturns to strand young people outside the labour market, a national service program would guarantee every young Canadian a structured year of service focused on skill development.
Participants could work in areas such as:
• community sport and recreation programs
• environmental restoration and climate projects
• infrastructure and community development
• elder care and public health initiatives
• Indigenous community partnerships
• youth mentorship and education programs
These placements would not replace private-sector jobs. Rather, they would operate in the public and community sectors where labour shortages already exist.
Building Work Skills Before the Workforce
The biggest challenge young workers face today is not lack of ambition—it is lack of experience. Employers consistently say the same thing: they want workers who already have teamwork skills, leadership ability, reliability, and problem-solving experience.
A national service year would provide exactly that.
Participants could receive:
• modest living stipends
• tuition credits or student loan reductions
• coaching or leadership certifications
• academic credit through participating universities and colleges
• micro-credentials in community leadership and program management
Instead of drifting through underemployment, young Canadians would emerge from service with verifiable skills, references, and work experience.
Strengthening the Economy and Communities
A national service system would also address labour shortages in sectors that struggle to recruit workers, including community recreation, elder care, environmental management, and youth programming.
Programs delivered through universities, municipalities, and organizations such as U Sports could create thousands of service placements across the country.
In effect, the program would function as a national leadership and workforce development system.
Investing in the Next Generation
Canada’s economy may rise and fall with global markets, oil prices, or trade disputes. But one thing remains constant: the need to develop capable citizens and skilled workers.
When youth unemployment rises above 14%, the danger is not just lost income. It is lost momentum at the beginning of a lifetime of work.
A national service program would ensure that even during economic downturns, young Canadians are learning, contributing, and building skills rather than waiting for opportunity to appear.
In a period when Canada is searching for new nation-building ideas, investing in the development of the next generation may be the most important one of all.