The Star is partnering with the School of Cities at the University of Toronto to pitch big ideas during the run-up to this month’s municipal election. Affiliated faculty at the school have taken on some of the city’s thorniest problems and the Star has presented their solutions to the two main contenders running to be mayor. In the fourth edition, the case for hiring more young people to fill the gaps in city maintenance.
Last winter while pushing a stroller through uncleared, hazardous snowy sidewalks on the school run, Kofi Hope had an idea: What if the city deployed hundreds or thousands of young people to clear the streets within a day of a snowfall?
“It not only puts money in the pocket of young people and gives them experience, but it also allows them to contribute and keep our city moving,” said Hope, co-founder of Monumental, a Toronto social purpose consultancy.
From icy sidewalks to overgrown parks, city maintenance jobs could be key to putting money in youth pockets and gaining work experience, he said.
Youth unemployment is high
The gap in jobs vacancies for Toronto youth is “acute” at 19.7 per cent, against 16.3 per cent provincially and 14 per cent nationally, and it is “far higher” for Black, Indigenous and newcomers as of last October, according to data from U of T.
While the city already employs more than 16,000 young people annually across 40 programs, this idea could expand that reach with year-round hiring. The work would include cleaning up after extreme weather events, tree removal and minor infrastructure repairs.
Daniyal Zuberi, a professor in the Faculty of Social Work at U of T, said that as youth unemployment “soars” in the city, especially among those racialized living in low-income neighbourhoods, a program like this could make a “huge difference” in addressing poverty and reducing crime.
The program wouldn’t aim to replace existing city workers with youth at a lower wage, but to complement the workforce, said Hope, who is also an urbanist-in-residence for the School of Cities at U of T.
Success seen in other cities
Positive evidence was found in a study on New York’s and Chicago’s youth employment programs which led to crime reduction, said Hope.
“We’re seeing climate-related incidents happen that really slow the city down and make the city unsafe,” he said. “Sometimes it’s been weeks that you’re in really dangerous circumstances, especially folks with mobility issues.”
Crews would be stationed in their own neighbourhoods and receive employment support, mentorship, professional development and skill-building.
“It can’t just be a one-off, give young people a shovel and throw them out there,” Hope said. “There’s ways to layer mentorship, opportunities and leadership development along with this program.”
What do the candidates think?
Brad Bradford’s team: “What has never been done is a mayor putting the convening power of the office behind a public private-sector hiring target. That’s Brad’s Toronto Youth Employment Challenge: a public goal declared at his first State of the City, 10 to 15 CEOs recruited as founding anchor partners, a single public portal for youth job postings, a quarterly leaderboard of jobs pledged against jobs created, and at least 30% of positions reserved for young people facing the steepest barriers.”
Olivia Chow’s team: “Last November, as mayor, Olivia Chow doubled the City’s Building Skills Through Recreation program, a popular program supporting over 2,000 youth in serving their neighbourhoods … Chow also worked with the United Way Greater Toronto and launched the Toronto Youth Employment Charter to encourage the not-for-profits and the private sector to create more jobs for young people in the city. This past March, Olivia Chow also passed a proposal to develop a plan for winter surge capacity snow shovellers. As the program is developed, we fully support getting youth involved.”
