Green Jobs and Youth Employment Policies in Canada: Source of Hope or Social Inequalities?

This article presents the many controversies surrounding the relationship between the economy and the environment, based on the case of the main programs implemented by Canada regarding the employment integration of young people in green jobs. It aims to describe the actions of the State searching for the promotion and regulation of these jobs regarding young people, the latter being considered a strategic target of both debates and public policies. Furthermore, it analyzes the various meanings surrounding the notion of green jobs, ecological transition, and youth in these policies. The results stem from documentary analysis of reports and websites from two ministerial programs and those of third -party organizations responsible for implementing these actions. The findings highlight: the characteristics of approaches overlooking the ecological transition, which are more restricted at the federal planning level but expanded through the implementation of measures; the polysemy and diversity of positions involved in green jobs in these policies; as well as the inequalities affecting young beneficiaries' access to these jobs. The conclusion discusses and emphasizes the viability of a transition that is both ecological and equitable.