NDP moves to create Youth Climate Corps, helping young people get good-paying jobs

OTTAWA – On Tuesday, NDP Environment Critic Laurel Collins brought forward a motion which would create a Youth Climate Corps, like the United States has done, to generate more training and job opportunities for young people in clean energy and conservation.

“We’ve seen a huge increase in the consequences of the climate crisis over the last year – extreme droughts, wildfires and record-breaking temperature increases. And its young people who are taking on the brunt of the climate crisis,” said Collins. “Young people want to get involved; they want to fight the climate crisis first-hand, and they deserve training and good jobs in the process. Which is what New Democrats want to see happen.”

Collins’ motion would create a Youth Climate Corps to lead training and employ thousands of young adults aged 17 to 35 in Canada’s climate emergency response, strengthen community and environmental resilience to climate change, build infrastructure that drives down greenhouse gas emissions and create a Youth Climate Corps crown corporation to lead these efforts.

This motion comes as, under Justin Trudeau, Canada has fallen further and further behind in meeting climate targets, and now Canada has one of the worst climate record in the G7.

“The Liberals have disappointed Canadians time and time again when it comes to treating the climate crisis with the urgency it needs. Minister Guilbeault and Justin Trudeau are always quick to make grand promises, then never follow through on them,” added Collins. “Then there’s Pierre Poilievre and his corporate-controlled Conservatives who can barely agree on if climate change is real, let alone be willing to stand up to big oil and gas and invest in the change we need.”

“New Democrats believe in fighting the climate emergency, and we know that young people play a crucial role in this fight. So, we’re working to get young people the tools they need to take on the climate emergency and to get them more training and jobs in a clean economy.”