According to the Commission on Standards, Equality, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST), which is responsible for enforcing laws in Quebec, workplace injuries among children under the age of 16 increased by 36% in 2021. CNESST reports that 203 children were victims of work-related accidents last year, compared to 149 the previous year. The youngest was 12 years old.
Posted at 7:15 p.m
Michel Arseneault Special Collaboration
“I’m not at all surprised, given the mass entry of young people into the labor market,” says Marie Laberge, associate professor at the School of Rehabilitation at the University of Montreal. “You probably noticed, as I did, the very young workers in the shops. The pandemic has created a labor shortage. »
Since the emergence of COVID-19, companies have been snapping up workers, particularly in the fast food space. The owner of a Tim Horton, who prefers to keep his name a secret because he is not authorized to speak in the media by the brand, sums up the situation: “We used to take ladies. Today we have no choice. In his franchise, we hire from the age of 13.
No minimum age in Quebec
In Quebec, contrary to popular belief, there is no minimum age for working after school or on weekends. However, children under the age of 14 must obtain written permission from a parent. The Respect for Labor Standards Act also states that an employer may not require children to work that could harm their health.
Of course, that doesn’t stop them from hurting themselves. Especially since they are often asked to do riskier things, including handling heavy loads.
We beat them [aux enfants] Tasks nobody wants to do.
Marie Laberge, Associate Professor at the University of Montreal’s School of Rehabilitation
So it’s no wonder that the number one cause of injury for children under 16 is falling equipment, tools or machines. In terms of the “types of accidents”, burns and “overexertion” rank second and third, respectively.
Working from a very young age can have serious consequences, especially for those who have odd jobs and are therefore constantly in a learning situation. As CNESST reminds us, “the weeks after hiring are those when workers of all ages are at greatest risk of injury.”
These work injuries compensated well and duly by CNESST in 2021 would only be the tip of the iceberg. Researchers and advocates believe that many young people are reluctant to file a complaint with CNESST that they are not always aware of.
It is difficult to know how many children under the age of 16 work during the school year or in the summer. In 2016-2017, before the pandemic and labor shortages, a survey of young people’s health in high school found that more than half were employed.
The latest statistics from CNESST indicate that child labor is widespread across Quebec, in both urban and rural areas. Apparently three regions appear to be bad students: Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches and Capitale-Nationale with 27, 25 and 21 injured children respectively. Montreal and its inner suburbs (Laval and Longueuil) fare little better at 23.
Restrictions Elsewhere in Canada
Quebec is the only Canadian province that does not have a minimum age for child labor. Several provinces also limit the number of hours a child can work per week. In Manitoba, where the minimum age is 13, it is capped at 20. In Alberta, where the minimum age is also 13, the cap is 31.
CNESST released its data on April 28 as the Senate passed a bill to tackle forced and child labor in supply chains. For the senator who presented it, Julie Miville-Dechêne, the situation is “paradoxical”. In 2016, the Federal Parliament ratified Convention 138 of the International Labor Organization and stipulated that the minimum age for taking up gainful employment is 16. But Quebec hasn’t set a minimum age since René Lévesque’s first government abolished it.
“We are far from exemplary,” said the senator. And Quebec should revise its labor standards. Not all child labor is unacceptable, but it should be better regulated. When 12-year-olds are injured at work, it’s worrying and worrying. »