Ford leaves behind youth facing barriers to employment: NDP MPP

QUEEN'S PARK — York South—Weston NDP MPP Faisal Hassan asked Doug Ford to reverse his change to the delivery of youth employment services, saying his government is neglecting young people in York South—Weston.

"Young people facing barriers to employment are feeling the effects of Ford cutting public dollars and programs that help youth who are most vulnerable," Hassan said Monday during Question Period. "Unemployment numbers across Ontario and particularly in York South—Weston are troubling."

Hassan acknowledged members of the York South—Weston Youth Council who were at Queen's Park as his guests to watch Question Period from the legislature's public gallery.

"The York South—Weston Youth Council know firsthand the struggles youth face and the damaging cost of Ford's cut to the Youth Job Connection Program, a program that helped young workers most in need of assistance," Hassan said.

In 2021, the Ford government moved forward with the cancellation of youth-specific programming, introducing performance-based funding for agencies, and cut a critical program for at-risk and vulnerable youth.

Hassan said Ontario needs a clear youth employment strategy to help young people reeling from the pandemic and to restore public dollars to youth employment service delivery.

"Ontarians deserve a government that invests in services and program that raise up all young people, including the province's most vulnerable youth," Hassan said.