Toronto is Hiring For Hundreds Parks and Recreation Jobs
Publié le 3 March 2021
Being outdoors in the sun all summer long is a dream of many people, and now you can get paid for it. This is because Toronto is hiring for hundreds of parks and recreation jobs right now.
“Working in Parks, Forestry and Recreation helps to build leadership and problem-solving skills that last a lifetime… It’s a great area to pursue your interests as a job with the City provides an opportunity to contribute to your community while also building your career.”
-Janie Romoff, General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation
The City of Toronto has launched a hiring campaign with the aim of getting hundreds of new employees into seasonal roles with the city’s division of Parks, Forestry and Recreation for the summer of 2021. Even though it may be hard to believe that summer is coming one day when there is still snow, ice and slush everywhere, the municipal government of Toronto is already preparing for the day when we can be outside without a thick jacket. The end goal of the program is to add approximately 900 seasonal works in the spring and summer to augment the thousands of employees currently working within the Parks division.
Opportunities for Young Job Seekers
This hiring campaign specifically cites providing good job opportunities and a meaningful experience to Toronto’s young people as a key goal. For highschoolers, university students and young people seeking to enter the job market, many of these Parks roles are both entry-level and part-time. This means that they provide a good opportunity to gain valuable experience and also allow employees the time needed to continue attending school.
Why Work For The City of Toronto
Toronto is the most populated city in Canada, and the fourth largest in all of North America no matter Google might imply, with a population of over 2.9 million people. It employs a large municipal labour force of tens of thousands of people in order to provide all its residents with services and support. The City of Toronto has been named one of Canada’s top 100 employers multiple times, and offers several advantages and benefits, including:
- Average starting salary fo $50,000-$55,000
- Health benefits for new employees
- Flexible scheduling and telecommuting
- Tuition subsidies for students
- Co-op placement and additional job training
The Parks Division
Toronto operates over 1,500 parks, 11 beaches, 58 outdoor pools, 240 splash pads, over 152 recreation centres and a range of other facilities for Toronto residents and visitors. Each of these locations requires a team of dedicated employees on-hand to ensure that everything remains safe, clean and fun for everyone. With so many amenities throughout the city, it’s no wonder that the division of Parks, Forestry and Recreation alone already employs over 9,000 recreation workers.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
One of the reasons cited during the recent launch of the hiring campaign was that the city considers outdoor recreation to be part of their response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As health officials have stated that it is more difficult, but not impossible, to transfer COVID-19 outdoors, city officials consider these parks and recreation facilities to be a safer alternative for parents and families who need support.
Although a number of facilities were closed or reduced in capacity last year in response to the pandemic, city officials believe that some restrictions can be gradually loosened as the vaccination rollout continues, cases number hopefully decline during warmer months, and people continue to follow strict health and safety guidelines.
Types of Jobs
There are numerous types of jobs available within Toronto’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation division, providing a range of opportunities at locations across the city. Here are just a few of the available job roles currently listed on the Parks website:
Facility Attendant: $14.98 per hour / Part-Time. Work with the staff of recreation centres throughout Toronto to provide a safe environment for all centre visitors.
Wading Pool Attendant: $15.20 per hour / Part-Time. Supervise wading pools to maintain a safe environment and ensure that attendees follow rules and regulations at all times.
Lifeguard Waterfront : $17.62 per hour / Part-Time. Create and maintain a safe environment for swimmers at Toronto beaches and waterfront swimming areas.
Camp Counseller/Playground Leader: $15.93 per hours / Part-Time. Overseeing camps, leading activities and creating a safe and educational environment for attendees.
Education Assistant/Camps: $18.95 per hour / 35-40 hours per week. Help create and deliver educational experiences for students and camp attendees which highlights the diverse history of Toronto.
Additional Requirements and Important Information
There are some specific requirements for people seeking employment with the Parks, Forestry and Recreation division. Namely, these are First Aid Certification, Principles of Healthy Child Development (PHCD) Certification, Vulnerable Sector Check, and there also additional requirements for Lifeguards and other Aquatic staff.
Having these requirements already will be a boost to your candidacy, but the City also offers training and certification opportunities for new hires as well. The initial hiring announcement promises that there will be a virtual information session to be held soon, which will provide more information about these certifications and other important requirements.
How To Apply
If any of the job roles offered seem right for you, you can apply through the Recreation Jobs section of the City of Toronto website. Applications are scheduled to be open from the beginning of March until March 27th, 2021. It should also be noted that the Parks division does do some more limited hiring throughout the year, so it’s a good idea to check back on a regular basis to see if anything new has been posted.
The news that the City of Toronto is hiring for hundreds of parks and recreation jobs is exciting news for job seekers. With a number of different opportunities available at multiple locations through the GTA, the right summer job is waiting for you.
