Youth Internship Guidelines for Applicants

FedNor provides support for youth interns under three funding programs: Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI), Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP) and the Economic Development Initiative (EDI). Please note that some criteria are different under each of the three programs.

Eligible Youth Internship Criteria

Young people being considered for a youth internship must:

• be unemployed or underemployed youth (persons aged 30 and under);
• have graduated within the last three years with a degree, diploma or certificate from a recognized post-secondary institution;
• be legally entitled to work in Canada;
• have not previously participated as a youth intern in FedNor's programs or in any other federal or provincial internship program with pay for a period of six months or more^{Footnote 1}; and
• not be related to the directors, officers or managers of the organization.

Eligible Applicants

• Not-for-profit organizations in Northern Ontario, such as community economic development, Indigenous (First Nation/Métis/Inuit) and Francophone organizations, industry and business associations, networks, or alliances.
• Municipalities, municipal organizations, and First Nations in Northern Ontario.

Private Sector Youth Internships are currently being administered by the Community Futures Development Corporations in Northern Ontario (Find Your Local CFDC (Google Map) (cfontario.ca):

Eligible Applicants could include:

• Businesses in Northern Ontario including an individual operating a business, partnerships, social enterprises, incorporated companies, corporations or co-operatives, or an Indigenous (First Nation/Métis/Inuit) organization such as Indigenous/First Nation/Métis Settlement-owned businesses, and all other types of enterprises.

To be considered eligible, project benefits must accrue to Northern Ontario and the organization and the employee must both be located in Northern Ontario.

Ineligible Youth Internship Activities

The following activities are ineligible for support:

• Ongoing and regular administrative/operational activities of the organization;
• Fundraising and lobbying;
• Those that displace existing employees;
• Those that do not comply with all labour union agreements, where applicable;
• Not-For-Profit Youth Internships: Project activities with primarily social, cultural or recreational goals. ^{Footnote 1} 

Private Sector Youth Internships are currently being administered by the Community Futures Development Corporations in Northern Ontario. (Find Your Local CFDC (Google Map) (cfontario.ca). Ineligible Youth Internship activities may include those which are not related to the seven economic strategy tables.

Funding Conditions

Not-for-profit organizations:

FedNor may contribute up to 90 percent to a maximum contribution of $35,000 annually toward the eligible costs of salary and employee benefit expenses in a full-time position for the internship period for up to 18 months (for a maximum contribution of up to $52,500 towards the salary and benefits of the intern).

FedNor may also contribute up to 90 percent to a maximum contribution of $5,000 toward eligible ancillary costs such as equipment and training (for a total contribution of up to $57,500 towards the salary, benefits, and ancillary costs of the intern).

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs):

Private Sector Youth Internships are currently being administered by the 24 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) in Northern Ontario. Please contact the CFDC in your geographical area to discuss your project idea. Find Your Local CFDC (Google Map) (cfontario.ca)

Eligible applicants may be eligible to receive up to 50 percent to a maximum contribution of $35,000 for the eligible costs of salary and employee benefits expenses in a full-time position for the internship period for up to 12 months.

Eligible applicants may also be eligible to receive up to 50 percent to a maximum contribution of $5,000 toward ancillary costs, such as equipment and training (for a total maximum contribution of up to $40,000 towards the salary, benefits, and ancillary costs of the intern).

Private Sector Applicants are not eligible to apply under the EDI.

Other Considerations

The following is required for all youth internship applications:

• A work plan and mentoring/supervisory arrangement;
• Demonstrated networking opportunities for the intern;
• Post-internship retention plan;
• Endorsement by an appropriate or regulatory body, including union concurrence, where applicable; and
• A fair and transparent recruitment, interview and hiring process.

Please refer to the EDI Guidelines for further information about Youth Internships under the EDI .

Service Standards

FedNor is committed to providing quality service to all applicants and funding recipients in the official language of their choice.

Our goal is to:

• acknowledge receipt of an application within three (3) working days;
• provide a decision on applications within eighty (80) working days of receipt of a fully completed application; and,
• render a payment decision on claims within thirty-five (35) working days.

How to Apply

Please call 1-877-333-6673 to discuss your proposal with a FedNor Officer in your area or begin your application process.