Government launches program granting up to $5000 for eligible student volunteers

The federal government launches the new Canada Student Service Grant which aims to support many post-secondary students and recent graduates who haven’t been able to land a summer job.

The pandemic caused several cancelled internships, work placements, and job opportunities for recent graduates and post-secondary students. Through the CSSG program, students are encouraged to volunteer to their communities in the fight against COVID-19.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says this will enable students to contribute to their communities and at the same time gain valuable experience.

Eligible students will receive a one-time payment between $1000-$5000 based on the hours they serve. Volunteering for 100 hours is equivalent to $1000 which means working for 500 hours will make a student eligible to receive the full grant, $5000.

Students can also visit the new I Want to Help platform which explains the details of the grant and provides a list of not-for-profit organizations around the community they want to volunteer.

The program starts today and will run until October 31, 2020.