The Canada Summer Jobs program is now open for applications which is good news since summer is basically cancelled thanks to the global pandemic, meaning so are many job opportunities for young people who rely on the summer season to make some money when school is out.

This year's Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program, which offers paid opportunities to people between the age of 15 and 30, comes with some temporary changes.

"The changes to the CSJ program this year will help small businesses hire and keep the workers they need so they can continue to deliver essential services," reads a memo from Employment and Social Development Canada. 

That includes extending the hiring period to stretch from now through February 28, 2021. It also will now allow employers to offer part-time positions. 

So far, thousands of placements, in not-for-profit organizations and the private or public sectors, have been posted to the government's Job Bank, with a total goal of 70,000 opportunities in the bank in the coming months. 

The government is also providing wage subsidies of up to 100 per cent for private and public sector employees with 50 or fewer full-time employees depending on the provincial and territorial minimum wages.

This year is seeing a bigger emphasis on organizations that can hire youth while also helping with essential services, meaning any Canadians between 15 and 30 years-old with a valid SIN can apply.