Every summer, the Canada National Exhibition (CNE) holds a major recruitment drive. Given Ontario’s current unemployment situation, it’s no surprise that the CNE received a record number of online applications this year.
To date, Canada’s largest annual expo has received over 54,000 online applications—a record high and a testament to the challenging job market.
This impressive figure represents a significant increase from 37,000 applications last year and 18,000 in 2023.
In 2024, 81% of employees working at the expo will be young people.
Currently, Canada’s unemployment rate for 14- to 24-year-olds is approximately 14%.
While Ontario’s overall unemployment rate is 7.8%, the youth unemployment rate is as high as 15%. Many international students and asylum seekers are seeking entry-level jobs that young people are targeting.
According to Statistics Canada, one in four young people aged 14 to 19 in Ontario are unemployed.
With the CNE opening on August 18th, organizers are looking to fill 5,000 seasonal positions. Over 1,000 people have already been hired for positions such as cashiers, retail assistants, game area staff, food servers, ride operators, and tour guides.
Thousands of people are expected to attend the annual in-person job fair at the Toronto Enercare Centre this Wednesday, where applicants can submit resumes and conduct interviews.
The CNE’s annual in-person job fair attracts thousands of job seekers, many of whom are young people, so lines are expected to be enormous this year.
According to organizers, the CNE generates approximately $143 million in economic benefits for Ontario annually. Last year, the 18-day fair attracted nearly 1.5 million visitors.
- https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/more-than-54000-people-apply-for-cne-jobs-ahead-of-job-fair