About the Youth Secretariat

A key priority for the Government of Canada is to strengthen diversity and inclusion so that Canadians of all backgrounds and ages have a voice and can participate fully in all spheres of society.

As youth represent 1/5 of the Canadian population, it is important that their voices be heard to help shape Canada today and for future generations. The Government is committed to helping young Canadians and ensuring that their concerns are at the centre of government decision-making.

To support this commitment, the Youth Secretariat was created in 2016. It works to:

• facilitate youth engagement
• help amplify youth voices to affect positive change
• ensure youth perspectives are taken into consideration in government policy and decisions

Youth issues are intersectional as youth identify with multiple identities, such as ethnicities, languages, cultures, abilities, conditions of health, occupations, sexual identities, and more. These issues fall under the responsibility of multiple federal departments’ mandates and priorities. The Youth Secretariat serves as an information and resource hub for government departments, youth-serving organizations and youth themselves. It supports a whole-of-government approach to addressing youth issues and provides advice to federal departments as they consider youth engagement and impacts of their programs, policies and initiatives on young people.

The Youth Secretariat also works with international organizations to share best practices, contribute to research and help inform how best to deliver youth‑related priorities in Canada and around the world.