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Home Consultation Document · A Word from the Premier · Background · Strategic Choices for Youth · Conclusion · Summary of the Consultation Document · Portrait of Youth · Report on Government Interventions for Young People Online Consultation Order the Document Press Release To Contact Us Secrétariat à la jeunesse Consult the Espace J Youth Portal	Portrait of youth Québec’s population On July 1, 2004, Québec had a population of 7,542,760. Of this, 1,483,860 were aged 15 to 29, that is 760,393 men (51.2%) and 723,467 women (48.8%); 3,172,753 and 1,022,089 people belonged to the 30 to 64 and 65 and over age groups respectively. In recent decades, the demographic weight of the 15- to 29-year-old group has declined progressively from 29.2% in 1976 to 28.8% in 1981, then to 22.6% in 1991, and finally to 19.7% in 2001, successively. In the years to come, this level will continue to decline, but at a slower pace. The working-age population is forecast to decline as of 2011. The concern is the loss of expertise with the mass retirement of older employees. The Régie des rentes du Québec projects that, between 2005 and 2020, Québec will gain 765,549 new retirees. Between 2020 and 2055, the ranks of retirees will swell by 745,593 people. For all of these projections, both in terms of men and women, the largest group of new retirees will be the 60-year-old group. Young people’s lifestyles Physical activity A high proportion of Québec’s population does not get the level of physical activity recommended by specialists during their leisure time. In 2003, this situation affected 63% of those aged 18 and over, and 56% of those aged 12-17. Furthermore, 26% of adults and 7% of 12- to 17-year-olds were completely sedentary during their free time. Although adult males remain slightly more active than women in their leisure time, a substantial difference between the genders can be noted in 12- to 17-year-olds. In 2003, 52% of boys and 35% of girls reached the recommended level. Since 1994, this percentage has not changed for boys, but has gone from 21% to 35% among girls. Eating habits 36% of 13-year-olds and 34% of 16-year-olds do not eat breakfast every day. Most of those aged 6 to 16 do not consume five portions of fruit and vegetables a day as recommended by Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. About 25% of 6- to 16-year-olds are too heavy (overweight or obese). Tobacco use In Québec, 25% of the population aged 15 and over smokes, the highest rate in Canada. The 20- to 24-year-old group smokes the most, at 36%, while the level of smokers is 30% among the 25- to 44-year-olds and 26% among 15- to 19-year-olds. Young women aged 15 to 24 are the group with the highest rate, i.e. 32% compared to 30% for young men the same age. The proportion of adult smokers who started smoking before the age of 18 is 77%. The life expectancy of smokers is reduced by an average of 15 years. Second-hand smoke affects 55% to 70% of non-smokers. Substance abuse Young people begin consuming drugs and alcohol early, and their consumption practices diversify and tend to get worse over time. Teenagers’ alcohol consumption tends to increase with age. Thus, the proportion of alcohol consumers goes from 43% to almost 89% between Secondary 1 and Secondary 5. During this time, the proportion of regular drinkers goes from 5.2% to 35%. Young people aged 15 to 24 present the greatest risk for alcohol dependency at 3.9%, twice as high as the risk for those aged 25-44. According to a 2002 survey of high school students, 41% had consumed an illegal drug at least once in the previous 12 months. The increase in the recreational use of psychotropic drugs is a worrisome phenomenon in Québec and around the world. A substantial number of Québec’s aboriginal communities consider the over-consumption of alcohol and substance abuse to be major problems affecting their populations. Young people having difficulty integrating into society About 112,000 requests for social services are processed per year at the health and social service centres, in the framework of the Jeunes en difficulté program. Québec’s various youth centres receive about 100,000 requests for service a year. In 2003-2004, of this number, almost 60,000 led to a report under the Youth Protection Act, and about 29,000 youths were detained because it was believed that their safety or development could be in jeopardy. Each year, about 20,000 young people receive services in the framework of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Québec has about 30 notorious street gangs. The members they are recruiting are younger and younger. In 1985, 70% of gang members were aged 14 to 16, while 30% were between 17 and 28. In 2003, 20% were between the ages of 11 and 16, 60% were between 17 and 28, and 20% between 29 and 35. In recent decades, there has been resurgence in the phenomenon of youth homelessness in Québec. In 1996-1997, an estimated 4,000 young people were in this situation in Montréal and Québec City. Youth suicide Suicide is mainly a problem that affects middle-aged men (aged 30-49). In Québec, suicide is one of the main causes of death among young people aged 15 to 29. In 2002, 34.5% of deaths among youths aged 15 to 19 were attributable to suicide, while the figure was 34.7% for the 20-24 age group and 42.9% for the 25-29 age group. Motor vehicle accidents are the other main cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29. In 2002, car accidents were responsible for 45.3% of deaths among 15- to 19-year-olds, 27.2% for 20- to 24-year-olds, and 17.1% for 25- to 29-year-olds. The death rates by suicide observed for the 1999-2001 period, both genders combined, are: For 15- to 19-year-olds: 18.2/100,000 young people For 20- to 24-year-olds: 23.8/100,000 young people For 25- to 29-year-olds: 22.3/100,000 young people The suicide rate among young people is growing in Québec. The 15- to 19-year-old group has seen the largest increase in its suicide rate in recent decades. This is as true for girls as it is for boys. From 1976 to 2001, the death rate by suicide among boys aged 15-19 went from 15.9 to 28.5/100,000. For the same period, the rate went from 3.4 to 7.2/100,000 for girls in the same age group. The suicide rate for young offenders and young people with mental health problems placed in the care of youth centres is four to eight times that of Québec youth as a whole. Youths in some aboriginal nations have a suicide rate that is up to six times that of Québec youth as a whole. Young homosexuals have an attempted suicide rate that is 6 to 16 times that of Québec youth as a whole. In 1998, the 15- to 24-year-old group had the highest proportion of people presenting suicidal ideation in the previous 12 months. The rate was 6.3% among young men, and 8.5% among young women, compared to 3.9% for the population as a whole. In 1998, the prevalence of suicide attempts was higher among people aged 15 to 24 than among the other age groups. Suicide among young people is strongly correlated with the existence of mental health problems, particularly affective disorders. According to the studies, the proportion of affected young people who die by suicide ranges from 50% to 90%. The 15- to 24-year-old group had the highest proportion of individuals with a high psychological distress index in 1998: 28.2% of 15- to 24-year-olds fell into the psychological distress index high category, compared to 20.2%, 19.2% and 10.7% of 25- to 44-year-olds, 45- to 64-year-olds and those aged 65 and up respectively. Moreover, young women aged 15 to 24 were more likely to suffer psychological distress, with 34% of them posting a high level of distress compared to 23% of men the same age. Dropping out In 2002, the high school drop-out rate was 11% among 17-year-olds: 13.9% for boys and 7.9% for girls. Among the students who left non-adult general education in 2001-2002, 75% obtained a diploma or qualification, while 25% obtained neither a diploma nor a qualification, and did not re-enrol in any educational program whatsoever in 2002-2003. This does not necessarily mean that they have abandoned their educations permanently, since they can return to occupational training or adult education a few years later. In 2002-2003, the rate of delay in entering high school was, on average, 27.5%, and remained constant for the four other years of the cycle. School attendance In 2000-2001, 97% of 15-year-olds attended an educational establishment. At 16, the figure was 96.6%; 85.8% at 17; 77.2% at 18; and 67.2% at 19. First language proficiency In June 2003, the Secondary 5 French exam yielded an average of 67% and a pass rate of 73% in written texts. The rates were 69% and 82% for the test as a whole, which included a written portion, a reading test and an oral expression test. 76% of young men passed the test compared to 88% of young women. Obtaining a diploma In 2002-2003, the rate for obtaining a first high school diploma in the youth and adult education sector was 78.8%, the lowest rate since 1990-1991. There is also a major gap between men, with an achievement rate of 71.7%, and women, with a rate of 86.2%. The rate for earning an occupational training diploma was 26.2%, that is, 28.9% for men and 23.2% for women. Finally, 60% of a high school student cohort obtained their diploma within the prescribed period. At the college level, the graduation rate is higher for students in the pre-university stream than for those in technical programs. About 43% of students enrolled in the pre-university stream obtained their diploma on schedule; in technical programs, the rate drops to 34%. About 22% of 2002’s young technical training program graduates went on to full-time university studies the following fall. Between 1971 and 1991, the percentage of the Québec population that is over 20 and has a high school diploma has risen: Among Francophones, it has gone from 27% to 41%, and among Anglophones, it has gone from 41% to 53%. Among the Cree and Inuit, the rate for earning a high school diploma after seven years of education was 27% and 20% respectively for the 1990 to 1995 cohorts, compared to the Québec average of 73%. Access to education In 2002-2003, access to occupational training was 16.6% for young people under 20, over half of whom already held a high school diploma. For its part, adult education draws 18.4% of youth under 20. In 2002-2003, 57.8% of young people went on to college programs: 33.4% in the pre-university stream, 17.1% in technical training, and 7.3% in welcome and transition programs. Access to university education has grown in Québec over the last 25 years. In 2003-2004, 41.1% of young people were enrolled in Bachelor’s programs, 11.6% in Master’s programs, and 2.4% in Ph.D. programs. There are gender-based variations among young Québecers in enrolling in educational programs and obtaining a diploma. Among girls, there is a higher level of enrolment in college and university level programs, and a higher graduation rate at each level. School and work In 2001, 66.1% of students in high school occupational programs, 83.5% of college students, and 81.0% of university students held down a paying job during the summer. During the school year, 47% of students in high school occupational programs, 65% of college students, and 61.0% of university students had jobs. Work injuries The rate of employment injury, calculated based on staff categorized as “full-time equivalent,” is 5.8% among 15- to 24-year-olds and 3.7% for those aged 25 and up. The rate among 15-to 24-year-olds is two and a half times higher among men (7.9%) than women (3.0%). Unemployment In 2003, among 15- to 24-year-olds, the average length of employment insurance payments was 10.2 weeks. For 25- to 54-year-olds, it was 22.7 weeks. In Québec in 2001, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 13.6%, whereas it was 7.8% among those 35 and older. Moreover, the rate was 17.9% among young immigrants aged 15 to 24, and 19.7% for members of visible minorities in the same age group. And, when black youth alone are considered, the unemployment rate reaches 23.5%. It is higher still among those who have been in Québec for only a short time (29.1% of new arrivals). In Canada, in 1996, the rate of unemployment among young aboriginals aged 15 to 24 was 32%. Obtaining a diploma and accessing the job market Between 1990 and 2003, the proportion of jobs that did not require a diploma dropped from 29.5% to 16.8%. In 2003, the unemployment rate among those with vocational diplomas was 11.7%, compared to 12% for those with an Attestation of Vocational Specialization and 5.6% for those with college-level technical training. Lastly, 4.9% of those with Bachelor’s degrees, and 4.6% of those with Master’s are in this situation. Some 109, 459 young people used the services of the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale between April 2003 and March 2004; 63.1% of them had less than a Secondary 4 education. Participation rate Young people aged 15 to 24 hold more part-time jobs than their elders aged 25 to 29 (45% compared to 14%). Employment forecasting For 2004 to 2008, Emploi-Québec projections show that there will be 640,000 jobs to fill. Professions requiring professional or technical skills or a university degree will have the most hiring opportunities. In 2002-2003, 79,737 people were enrolled in high school vocational training, while college technical training had some 84,674 students enrolled. These programs are not highly valued by high school students. More specifically, between 2004 and 2014, the government will hire about 16,000 new regular employees. Openness to the world Some organizations have been offering young people the opportunity to do internships outside Québec for over 35 years. About 345 young people a year participate in the Agence Québec-Wallonie-Bruxelles youth internships, approximately 73% of the applications received. About 1,142 young people a year participate in the Office Québec-Amériques youth internships. Lastly, 432 young people participated in Québec sans frontières internships, and 2,001 participated in those offered by the Office franco-québecois pour la jeunesse. Young people and the society they live in 29% of young Canadians did volunteer work in 2000. On average, young volunteers donated fewer hours than those 25 and older (130 hours compared to 169 hours ). The number of hours of volunteer work per year went from 174 hours in 1987 to 125 hours in 1997 and to 130 hours in 2000. Young people aged 15 to 19 show the highest level of volunteer work of all age groups. Most volunteer activities performed by young people were done within three types of organizations: Research and education organizations (19% of total hours volunteered); Social services (22%); Arts, culture and recreational organizations (18%). Young people and elections In the April 2003 general election, voter turnout among young people, which has been declining steadily since 1960, fell to its lowest point since 1927. In the Québec elections held on April 14, 2003, twelve candidates aged 35 or under were elected, less than 10% of the caucus. Eighteen- to 35-year-olds constitute 24% of Québec’s population. Yet, in the September 20, 2004 by-elections, the four candidates elected were under the age of 35, bringing the proportion of members under 35 to nearly 13% of the caucus. In Québec’s municipalities, barely 1.3% of mayors and about 8% of councillors are under 35 years of age. Youth migration In recent years, approximately 84,000 youths aged 15 to 29 have migrated each year. The 20-29 age group usually have the highest migration rates. In 2003-2004, they represented 32% of all inter-regional migrants. It is primarily those 15-24 who leave remote regions. Young people aged 15 to 29 migrate to urban centres and their suburbs. They choose Montréal and nearby regions, specifically the Montérégie and the National Capital Region. Some young people who had left their region were ready to return to gain such things as closer social ties, or greater ease in owning a house of their own, or closer contact with nature. Immigrants to Québec Of the 63,350 immigrants aged 15 to 24, 55,935 live in the Montréal agglomeration, that is, 88.3%. In comparison, 46.8% of young people of that age, all origins combined, live in the Montréal area.

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Consultation Document

· A Word from the Premier

· Background

· Strategic Choices for Youth

· Conclusion

· Summary of the Consultation Document

· Portrait of Youth

· Report on Government Interventions for Young People

Secrétariat à la jeunesse

Consult the Espace J Youth Portal

Espace J, le portail jeunesse du gouvernement du Québec

Portrait of youth

Québec’s population

On July 1, 2004, Québec had a population of 7,542,760. Of this, 1,483,860 were aged 15 to 29, that is 760,393 men (51.2%) and 723,467 women (48.8%); 3,172,753 and 1,022,089 people belonged to the 30 to 64 and 65 and over age groups respectively.
In recent decades, the demographic weight of the 15- to 29-year-old group has declined progressively from 29.2% in 1976 to 28.8% in 1981, then to 22.6% in 1991, and finally to 19.7% in 2001, successively. In the years to come, this level will continue to decline, but at a slower pace.
The working-age population is forecast to decline as of 2011. The concern is the loss of expertise with the mass retirement of older employees.
The Régie des rentes du Québec projects that, between 2005 and 2020, Québec will gain 765,549 new retirees. Between 2020 and 2055, the ranks of retirees will swell by 745,593 people. For all of these projections, both in terms of men and women, the largest group of new retirees will be the 60-year-old group.

Young people’s lifestyles

Physical activity

A high proportion of Québec’s population does not get the level of physical activity recommended by specialists during their leisure time. In 2003, this situation affected 63% of those aged 18 and over, and 56% of those aged 12-17. Furthermore, 26% of adults and 7% of 12- to 17-year-olds were completely sedentary during their free time.
Although adult males remain slightly more active than women in their leisure time, a substantial difference between the genders can be noted in 12- to 17-year-olds. In 2003, 52% of boys and 35% of girls reached the recommended level. Since 1994, this percentage has not changed for boys, but has gone from 21% to 35% among girls.

Eating habits

36% of 13-year-olds and 34% of 16-year-olds do not eat breakfast every day.
Most of those aged 6 to 16 do not consume five portions of fruit and vegetables a day as recommended by Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating.
About 25% of 6- to 16-year-olds are too heavy (overweight or obese).

Tobacco use

In Québec, 25% of the population aged 15 and over smokes, the highest rate in Canada. The 20- to 24-year-old group smokes the most, at 36%, while the level of smokers is 30% among the 25- to 44-year-olds and 26% among 15- to 19-year-olds. Young women aged 15 to 24 are the group with the highest rate, i.e. 32% compared to 30% for young men the same age.
The proportion of adult smokers who started smoking before the age of 18 is 77%.
The life expectancy of smokers is reduced by an average of 15 years. Second-hand smoke affects 55% to 70% of non-smokers.

Substance abuse

Young people begin consuming drugs and alcohol early, and their consumption practices diversify and tend to get worse over time.
Teenagers’ alcohol consumption tends to increase with age. Thus, the proportion of alcohol consumers goes from 43% to almost 89% between Secondary 1 and Secondary 5. During this time, the proportion of regular drinkers goes from 5.2% to 35%. Young people aged 15 to 24 present the greatest risk for alcohol dependency at 3.9%, twice as high as the risk for those aged 25-44.
According to a 2002 survey of high school students, 41% had consumed an illegal drug at least once in the previous 12 months. The increase in the recreational use of psychotropic drugs is a worrisome phenomenon in Québec and around the world.
A substantial number of Québec’s aboriginal communities consider the over-consumption of alcohol and substance abuse to be major problems affecting their populations.

Young people having difficulty integrating into society

About 112,000 requests for social services are processed per year at the health and social service centres, in the framework of the Jeunes en difficulté program.
Québec’s various youth centres receive about 100,000 requests for service a year. In 2003-2004, of this number, almost 60,000 led to a report under the Youth Protection Act, and about 29,000 youths were detained because it was believed that their safety or development could be in jeopardy.
Each year, about 20,000 young people receive services in the framework of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Québec has about 30 notorious street gangs. The members they are recruiting are younger and younger. In 1985, 70% of gang members were aged 14 to 16, while 30% were between 17 and 28. In 2003, 20% were between the ages of 11 and 16, 60% were between 17 and 28, and 20% between 29 and 35.
In recent decades, there has been resurgence in the phenomenon of youth homelessness in Québec. In 1996-1997, an estimated 4,000 young people were in this situation in Montréal and Québec City.

Youth suicide

Suicide is mainly a problem that affects middle-aged men (aged 30-49).
In Québec, suicide is one of the main causes of death among young people aged 15 to 29. In 2002, 34.5% of deaths among youths aged 15 to 19 were attributable to suicide, while the figure was 34.7% for the 20-24 age group and 42.9% for the 25-29 age group. Motor vehicle accidents are the other main cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29. In 2002, car accidents were responsible for 45.3% of deaths among 15- to 19-year-olds, 27.2% for 20- to 24-year-olds, and 17.1% for 25- to 29-year-olds.
The death rates by suicide observed for the 1999-2001 period, both genders combined, are:
- For 15- to 19-year-olds: 18.2/100,000 young people
- For 20- to 24-year-olds: 23.8/100,000 young people
- For 25- to 29-year-olds: 22.3/100,000 young people
The suicide rate among young people is growing in Québec. The 15- to 19-year-old group has seen the largest increase in its suicide rate in recent decades. This is as true for girls as it is for boys. From 1976 to 2001, the death rate by suicide among boys aged 15-19 went from 15.9 to 28.5/100,000. For the same period, the rate went from 3.4 to 7.2/100,000 for girls in the same age group.
The suicide rate for young offenders and young people with mental health problems placed in the care of youth centres is four to eight times that of Québec youth as a whole.
Youths in some aboriginal nations have a suicide rate that is up to six times that of Québec youth as a whole.
Young homosexuals have an attempted suicide rate that is 6 to 16 times that of Québec youth as a whole.
In 1998, the 15- to 24-year-old group had the highest proportion of people presenting suicidal ideation in the previous 12 months. The rate was 6.3% among young men, and 8.5% among young women, compared to 3.9% for the population as a whole.
In 1998, the prevalence of suicide attempts was higher among people aged 15 to 24 than among the other age groups.
Suicide among young people is strongly correlated with the existence of mental health problems, particularly affective disorders. According to the studies, the proportion of affected young people who die by suicide ranges from 50% to 90%.
The 15- to 24-year-old group had the highest proportion of individuals with a high psychological distress index in 1998: 28.2% of 15- to 24-year-olds fell into the psychological distress index high category, compared to 20.2%, 19.2% and 10.7% of 25- to 44-year-olds, 45- to 64-year-olds and those aged 65 and up respectively. Moreover, young women aged 15 to 24 were more likely to suffer psychological distress, with 34% of them posting a high level of distress compared to 23% of men the same age.

Dropping out

In 2002, the high school drop-out rate was 11% among 17-year-olds: 13.9% for boys and 7.9% for girls.
Among the students who left non-adult general education in 2001-2002, 75% obtained a diploma or qualification, while 25% obtained neither a diploma nor a qualification, and did not re-enrol in any educational program whatsoever in 2002-2003. This does not necessarily mean that they have abandoned their educations permanently, since they can return to occupational training or adult education a few years later.
In 2002-2003, the rate of delay in entering high school was, on average, 27.5%, and remained constant for the four other years of the cycle.

School attendance

In 2000-2001, 97% of 15-year-olds attended an educational establishment. At 16, the figure was 96.6%; 85.8% at 17; 77.2% at 18; and 67.2% at 19.

First language proficiency

In June 2003, the Secondary 5 French exam yielded an average of 67% and a pass rate of 73% in written texts. The rates were 69% and 82% for the test as a whole, which included a written portion, a reading test and an oral expression test. 76% of young men passed the test compared to 88% of young women.

Obtaining a diploma

In 2002-2003, the rate for obtaining a first high school diploma in the youth and adult education sector was 78.8%, the lowest rate since 1990-1991. There is also a major gap between men, with an achievement rate of 71.7%, and women, with a rate of 86.2%. The rate for earning an occupational training diploma was 26.2%, that is, 28.9% for men and 23.2% for women. Finally, 60% of a high school student cohort obtained their diploma within the prescribed period.
At the college level, the graduation rate is higher for students in the pre-university stream than for those in technical programs. About 43% of students enrolled in the pre-university stream obtained their diploma on schedule; in technical programs, the rate drops to 34%. About 22% of 2002’s young technical training program graduates went on to full-time university studies the following fall.
Between 1971 and 1991, the percentage of the Québec population that is over 20 and has a high school diploma has risen: Among Francophones, it has gone from 27% to 41%, and among Anglophones, it has gone from 41% to 53%.
Among the Cree and Inuit, the rate for earning a high school diploma after seven years of education was 27% and 20% respectively for the 1990 to 1995 cohorts, compared to the Québec average of 73%.

Access to education

In 2002-2003, access to occupational training was 16.6% for young people under 20, over half of whom already held a high school diploma. For its part, adult education draws 18.4% of youth under 20.
In 2002-2003, 57.8% of young people went on to college programs: 33.4% in the pre-university
stream, 17.1% in technical training, and 7.3% in welcome and transition programs.
Access to university education has grown in Québec over the last 25 years. In 2003-2004, 41.1% of young people were enrolled in Bachelor’s programs, 11.6% in Master’s programs, and 2.4% in Ph.D. programs.
There are gender-based variations among young Québecers in enrolling in educational programs and obtaining a diploma. Among girls, there is a higher level of enrolment in college and university level programs, and a higher graduation rate at each level.

School and work

In 2001, 66.1% of students in high school occupational programs, 83.5% of college students, and 81.0% of university students held down a paying job during the summer.
During the school year, 47% of students in high school occupational programs, 65% of college students, and 61.0% of university students had jobs.

Work injuries

The rate of employment injury, calculated based on staff categorized as “full-time equivalent,” is 5.8% among 15- to 24-year-olds and 3.7% for those aged 25 and up. The rate among 15-to 24-year-olds is two and a half times higher among men (7.9%) than women (3.0%).

Unemployment

In 2003, among 15- to 24-year-olds, the average length of employment insurance payments was 10.2 weeks. For 25- to 54-year-olds, it was 22.7 weeks.
In Québec in 2001, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 13.6%, whereas it was 7.8% among those 35 and older. Moreover, the rate was 17.9% among young immigrants aged 15 to 24, and 19.7% for members of visible minorities in the same age group.
And, when black youth alone are considered, the unemployment rate reaches 23.5%. It is higher still among those who have been in Québec for only a short time (29.1% of new arrivals).
In Canada, in 1996, the rate of unemployment among young aboriginals aged 15 to 24 was 32%.

Obtaining a diploma and accessing the job market

Between 1990 and 2003, the proportion of jobs that did not require a diploma dropped from 29.5% to 16.8%.
In 2003, the unemployment rate among those with vocational diplomas was 11.7%, compared to 12% for those with an Attestation of Vocational Specialization and 5.6% for those with college-level technical training. Lastly, 4.9% of those with Bachelor’s degrees, and 4.6% of those with Master’s are in this situation.
Some 109, 459 young people used the services of the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale between April 2003 and March 2004; 63.1% of them had less than a Secondary 4 education.

Participation rate

Young people aged 15 to 24 hold more part-time jobs than their elders aged 25 to 29 (45% compared to 14%).

Employment forecasting

For 2004 to 2008, Emploi-Québec projections show that there will be 640,000 jobs to fill. Professions requiring professional or technical skills or a university degree will have the most hiring opportunities.
In 2002-2003, 79,737 people were enrolled in high school vocational training, while college technical training had some 84,674 students enrolled. These programs are not highly valued by high school students.
More specifically, between 2004 and 2014, the government will hire about 16,000 new regular employees.

Openness to the world

Some organizations have been offering young people the opportunity to do internships outside Québec for over 35 years. About 345 young people a year participate in the Agence Québec-Wallonie-Bruxelles youth internships, approximately 73% of the applications received. About 1,142 young people a year participate in the Office Québec-Amériques youth internships. Lastly, 432 young people participated in Québec sans frontières internships, and 2,001 participated in those offered by the Office franco-québecois pour la jeunesse.

Young people and the society they live in

29% of young Canadians did volunteer work in 2000. On average, young volunteers donated fewer hours than those 25 and older (130 hours compared to 169 hours ).
The number of hours of volunteer work per year went from 174 hours in 1987 to 125 hours in 1997 and to 130 hours in 2000.
Young people aged 15 to 19 show the highest level of volunteer work of all age groups.
Most volunteer activities performed by young people were done within three types of organizations:
- Research and education organizations (19% of total hours volunteered);
- Social services (22%);
- Arts, culture and recreational organizations (18%).

Young people and elections

In the April 2003 general election, voter turnout among young people, which has been declining steadily since 1960, fell to its lowest point since 1927.
In the Québec elections held on April 14, 2003, twelve candidates aged 35 or under were elected, less than 10% of the caucus. Eighteen- to 35-year-olds constitute 24% of Québec’s population. Yet, in the September 20, 2004 by-elections, the four candidates elected were under the age of 35, bringing the proportion of members under 35 to nearly 13% of the caucus.
In Québec’s municipalities, barely 1.3% of mayors and about 8% of councillors are under 35 years of age.

Youth migration

In recent years, approximately 84,000 youths aged 15 to 29 have migrated each year.
The 20-29 age group usually have the highest migration rates. In 2003-2004, they represented 32% of all inter-regional migrants.
It is primarily those 15-24 who leave remote regions.
Young people aged 15 to 29 migrate to urban centres and their suburbs. They choose Montréal and nearby regions, specifically the Montérégie and the National Capital Region.
Some young people who had left their region were ready to return to gain such things as closer social ties, or greater ease in owning a house of their own, or closer contact with nature.

Immigrants to Québec

Of the 63,350 immigrants aged 15 to 24, 55,935 live in the Montréal agglomeration, that is, 88.3%. In comparison, 46.8% of young people of that age, all origins combined, live in the Montréal area.

	Last update : April 28, 2005 Online as of : April 28, 2005
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