Thank you very much. Thank you Minister, deputy minister, and others for being here today. I greatly appreciate your attendance at committee.
As you know, our government has been focused on providing significant opportunities for students and young people, both part-time and full-time students. We've recently announced the elimination of interest payments on Canada student loans, for example, for part-time students. As you mentioned, Minister, the increase in the income eligibility threshold for Canada student loans and grants resulted in another 8,000 students being eligible for Canada student loans and another 1,500 students being eligible for Canada student grants.
Once they have that great education, they're going to transition into a job. I was very pleased to see the government's recent commitment of $50 million over two years to enhance the youth employment strategy, the YES strategy, which is a very important initiative for assisting young people in getting that step into the labour market. In my own riding of Simcoe—Grey, this would be the extension of something like the tracks program in Collingwood, which has been a fabulous program linking young people with that first great job.
I was wondering if it would be possible for you to highlight for us some of the recent and past initiatives our government has undertaken to help young people find that first great job.