Federal Labour Minister Patty Hajdu hosted a virtual meeting with G7 labour and employment ministers this week to discuss youth employment strategies and artificial intelligence in the workplace.
The ministers met with leaders from the International Labour Organization, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and representatives from the Business 7 and Labour 7 groups. Discussions focused on boosting youth employment in changing labour markets and advancing economic inclusion for workers with disabilities.
AI best practices guide released
During the meeting, Hajdu launched a compendium of best practices for responsible use of artificial intelligence in the workplace. The guide was developed with G7 partners under Canada’s presidency and previous G7 presidencies.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to supporting workers and economies through international cooperation.
Federal youth employment funding
Through Budget 2025, the federal government proposes to invest more than $1.5 billion to help youth gain skills and work experience. The proposed investment would support about 175,000 youth in 2026–27.
The funding includes $307.9 million over two years starting in 2026–27 for the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy to provide employment, training and supports such as mentorship, transportation and mental health counselling to around 20,000 youth facing employment barriers annually.
The government proposes $594.7 million over two years starting in 2026–27 for Canada Summer Jobs to support around 100,000 summer jobs in 2026. An additional $635.2 million over three years starting in 2026–27 would go to the Student Work Placement Program to support around 55,000 work-integrated learning opportunities for post-secondary students in 2026–27.
The government is also investing $40 million over two years starting in 2026–27 to create the Youth Climate Corps, which will offer paid skills training to young Canadians.
The G7 Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting is a forum for high-level discussions on labour and employment priorities among member countries.
