Federal Budget 2016: If you're 15 to 24, this is what to look out for - Action News
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Federal Budget 2016: If you're 15 to 24, this is what to look out for

Justin Trudeau made the youth vote key to his campaign, and when he became prime minister he also became minister for youth. Will this translate into a budget for youth?

Much was promised to Canada's youth during the election, will it all end up in the budget?

The Youth Budget?

9 years ago
Duration 1:38
If you're between 15 and 24, this is why the Liberal's first budget could be important for you

The Liberals clearly targeted youth during the election.

When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took office he alsoassumed the role of minister for youth, but whether he will deliver on his campaign promises for that key demographic in the Liberal's first budgetremains an open question.

If you're aged 15 to 24, here are a few things to be on the look-out for.

First up is Trudeau's election promise to address the ongoing unemployment problems among young Canadians.

According to Statistics Canada, in January2004 the unemployment rate for 15 to 24-year-olds was 14.5 per cent. Fast forward to January2016 and despite the ups and downs in between it sat at 13 per cent. Over the same periods the unemployment was about half that for the rest of the population.

To address this disparity, the Liberals said they would spend $300 million a year, for the next three years, to create 40,000 "good youth jobs,"including 5,000 so-called "green jobs".

Employers

The Liberals also pledged $40 million a year to help employers create more co-op placements for students in science, engineering, technology, math and business.

Then there's the $10 million promised to develop and expand apprenticeshipsand $25 million for a restored Youth Services Program that would provide young people with experience working on community projects

The Liberals also promised to give a 12-month break on employment insurancepremiums to employers who hire someone between the ages of 18 and 24 into a permanent position in 2016, 2017 or 2018.

Students

Justin Trudeau also pledged to bump up Canada Student Grants for low-income students to $3,000 a yearfor full-time studentsand $1,800 for part-time students. That's supposed to add an extra $750 million a year in non-repayable grant assistance.

The Liberals said they would pay for that by cancelling the textbook tax credit.

Of course, all of these promises were just promises, made during an election, to find out if this really will be a budget for youth, we'll have to wait for March 22, budget day.