WE charity won’t manage $900M COVID-19 student program

The WE organization won’t manage Canada’s $900 million COVID-19 program for students.

The Canada Student Service Grant will pay eligible students and recent graduates up to $5,000 for volunteer work.

It was announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week, with the WE organization slated to manage it.

That decision was heavily criticized because of the close relationship Trudeau and his wife Sophie have with the group.

Trudeau has said the recommendation to use WE for the work came from the public service, not politicians.

The federal Conservatives had called for an investigation into the decision.

Youth Minister Bardish Chagger announced Friday that the charity would not manage the program after all, calling it a “mutually agreed upon decision.”

In a statement, she says the organization will pay back money it has already received from the federal government.

She says students who have already signed up should not be affected.

The program is aimed at helping students who can’t find work this summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic.