City of Windsor Student Lottery Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the Summer Student Lottery Program?

The Summer Student Lottery Program is a City Council approved initiative that provides eligible students the opportunity to gain meaningful temporary employment and experience working for a large employer, the Corporation of the City of Windsor. Subject to budget approval and in compliance with the Union Collective Agreements, the Corporation annually hires eligible post secondary students to work during the Summer School Break.

To keep the hiring of students for the Summer Student Lottery Program fair and equitable, the selection of students to be considered is based on a lottery system. The lottery system is a secured computer program that randomly draws applications for order of consideration for employment.

The number of students to be hired for the current year is yet to be determined. The Human Resources (HR) Department will contact students starting at lottery ranking number one and continue ascending through the lottery ranking numbers until all available positions have been filled by eligible applicants. The lower your lottery ranking number is, the greater your chances of being contacted for a possible summer employment opportunity with the City of Windsor.

What is the period of employment for the Summer Student Lottery Program?

Students are typically hired to work under the Summer Student Lottery Program beginning in late April and will not be employed beyond September 30; however, students hired to the Parks Department may be eligible to work year round. Most positions are 40 hours per week. 

What are the qualifications/requirements to be eligible to apply?

To be eligible for the Summer Student Lottery Program, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be legally entitled to work in Canada
  • Must be a minimum of 17 years of age by May 1 of the hiring year
  • Must be a Post-Secondary student attending an accredited University or Community College or Ontario Ministry of Education equivalent
  • Must provide Social Insurance Number (SIN) to ensure one application per person in the lottery
  • Must be attending school on a full-time basis at the time of application. Full-time attendance at school is defined as 4 or more courses per semester;
  • To remain eligible you must complete the Winter semester on a full-time basis
  • Must be returning to full-time attendance in September
  • Must be available to work all hours of all shifts beginning the first day after final university/college exams, for example, late April or early May
  • Must hold by date of hire and maintain a current valid Emergency First-Aid/CPR Certificate (one-day training) obtained from a first aid WSIA Reg. 1101 training provider recognized by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) [Standard First Aid/CPR Certificate (two-day training) is also acceptable, provided it is current and valid]
  • Most positions require a current valid and lawful Class G or G2 driver's licence in accordance with the Highway Traffic Act, for the purposes of operating a City of Windsor vehicle
  • Students being offered employment for positions requiring a driver’s licence must provide an up-to-date uncertified driver’s abstract at the time of documentation
  • Must be able to work outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions (sun, rain, heat, cold, etc.) and be able to tolerate exposure to noxious weeds, garbage, litter, debris and dust, chemicals, or work indoors in an office environment
  • Most positions will require you to perform physical work involving heavy lifting, shovelling and digging, repetitive hand sweeping and walking, and operating heavy materials, equipment, and vehicles, as required;
  • May be required to work on public right-of-way (in and adjacent to roadway traffic)
  • May be required to operate City equipment (i.e., weed whippers, lawnmowers, etc.)
  • May be required to walk long distances or to sit for long periods of time
  • May be required to keyboard for long periods of time
  • Beginning in 2020, students were eligible to be employed in the Student Lottery a maximum of five times, notwithstanding their draw number

Are grade twelve (12) students who are registered to attend University or a Community College in the fall of the hiring year eligible to be hired under the Summer Student Lottery Program?

Grade twelve (12) students are not eligible for the Summer Student Lottery Program because students hired through this program are required to start work beginning in late April to meet the operational needs of the departments. For other opportunities, review the City of Windsor Student and Youth Employment Opportunities web page.

How does the City of Windsor determine the validity of educational institutions?

The Corporation of the City of Windsor utilizes governmental educational listings from Canada and the United States to determine accreditation of schools within these countries.

Are students who attend educational institutions outside of Canada or the United States eligible to apply for the Summer Student Lottery Program?

Yes, students attending an accredited University or Community College located outside of Canada or the United States are eligible to apply to the Summer Student Lottery Program as long as they meet the other criteria of the Summer Student Lottery Program. However, in order to be hired by the Corporation of the City of Windsor, students attending educational institutions outside of Canada or the United States must provide a foreign education document assessment issued by one of the approved agencies listed below at the time of their payroll documentation. To be eligible for employment, the assessment must indicate that the education currently being obtained is comparable to the same level of education completed at an accredited University or Community College in Ontario.

Only the following agencies are acceptable and issue foreign educational document assessments for students, at a cost. This cost is to be paid by the applicant. The Corporation of the City of Windsor does not reimburse this cost.

Why is an Emergency (or Standard) First-Aid/CPR Certificate from a training provider recognized by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) required?

According to Regulation 1101, Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act, vehicles are defined as worksites and all city workplace vehicles wherein two or more students/employees are required to travel in one city workplace vehicle, one student/employee must hold and maintain a valid Emergency (or Standard) First-Aid/CPR Certificate. It is imperative that each department comply with this regulation.

In order to satisfy the operational needs of hiring departments in a safe and efficient manner, including appropriate placement and scheduling of City vehicles, as a condition of employment all students hired under the Summer Student Lottery Program are required to hold and maintain a current valid Emergency (or Standard) First-Aid/CPR Certificate.
Students being offered Summer Student Lottery employment will be required to present their original valid and recognized Emergency First-Aid/CPR Certificate at time of documentation. Failure to provide an original, valid, and recognized Emergency First-Aid/CPR Certificate as required will result in ineligibility and subsequent disqualification.

Where can I obtain an Emergency (or Standard) First-Aid/CPR Certificate recognized by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)?

The following providers are acceptable and offer valid Emergency First-Aid Certification (one day training) at a cost. The cost is to be paid by the applicant. The Corporation of the City of Windsor does not reimburse this cost.

For a complete listing of WSIB recognized training providers in Ontario, visit WSIB - Approved Providers to Deliver Emergency and Standard First Aid.

What type of driver’s record is required for hiring under the Summer Student Lottery Program?

Students being offered employment for positions requiring a valid driver’s licence must provide an up-to-date 3-year uncertified driver’s record (also known as a driver’s abstract) at the time of documentation.

What information will appear on my 3-year uncertified driver’s record (or abstract)?

A 3-year uncertified driver’s record (or abstract) is typically used for personal, insurance, and employment purposes and contains the following information:

  • The driver’s identification (name, driver’s licence number, date of birth, gender, height, class, conditions, but not address)
  • Licence status
  • Expiry Date
  • Medical due date (controlled class only)
  • Earliest available licence date
  • Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code (Canada) convictions, suspensions, and reinstatements over the past three years, the conviction dates, and any demerit points accumulated
  • Active defaulted fine suspensions

Where can I obtain a 3-year uncertified driver’s record (or abstract)?

A 3-year uncertified driver’s record (or abstract) can be obtained from Service Ontario at a cost of approximately $12.00. This cost is to be paid by the applicant. The Corporation of the City of Windsor does not reimburse this cost.

Requests for driving records (or abstracts) can be made either online (payment by credit card is required) or in person at a Service Ontario Centre near you.

What are the reasons an application would be excluded from the Summer Student Lottery Program randomized draw process?

Applications would be excluded from the random draw process for one (or more) of the following reasons:

  • Application not submitted before the deadline date
  • Incomplete data on the application
  • Applicant ineligible for the Summer Student Lottery Program (see eligibility requirements noted within the response to What are the Qualifications/Requirements to be eligible to apply? above)

What is the rate of pay?

Students hired under the Summer Student Lottery Program are considered probationary employees for the full duration of employment and receive the summer student rate as outlined in the respective collective agreement. The student rate may vary from year to year, so check the job posting for the current rate of pay. For 2025, the rate of pay is $18.47 per hour. Students are not entitled to any fringe benefits or shift premiums.

When and where is the Summer Student Lottery Program advertised?

The Summer Student Lottery Program is advertised in The Windsor Star weekend edition at the beginning of the program. The Summer Student Lottery Program is also advertised continuously on the City of Windsor's website while applications are being accepted.

How do I apply?

Summer Student Lottery Program Applications are available only on the City of Windsor's website while applications are being accepted. Students must complete and submit the online application before the deadline date and time. No paper copies will be accepted.

How will I know if my application has been received?

At the time of submitting your application, you will be sent an email (to the email address you provided when submitting the application) confirming that your application has been received. Whether or when you receive the email will depend on the configuration of your email service (including spam filters). Your confirmation number will be listed in this email and is unique and extremely important, as it confirms we have received your application and is required to view your result (ranking) in the lottery draw. You must provide a valid contact email address when completing the online application form.

When and where will the results of the lottery draw be posted?

The results of the random draw assigning a ranking to your application's confirmation number will be posted approximately two (2) weeks after the closing date of the job posting and will be posted only on the City of Windsor's website. Absolutely no lottery results will be given over the phone.

How will I be notified if I am being offered a summer job?

Students who are selected for a summer job will receive a notification email message sent to the email address provided on the online application form once summer hiring commences. This email will advise of the next steps in the hiring process, which steps must be followed and completed in order for the student to be considered further for Summer Student Lottery employment. This notification will also include a deadline date and time for response.

It is extremely important that applicants notify the Human Resources Department of changes to their email address and/or telephone number between the months of December and May of the hiring year.

Changes to email addresses or telephone numbers can be reported by contacting the Human Resources Department at recruitment@citywindsor.ca by email. The following information must be included when reporting a change:

  1. Confirmation number
  2. First and last name
  3. Mailing address
  4. Changed telephone number and/or changed email address

Can I be hired to work more than once through the Summer Student Lottery Program?

Yes, however the ratio of returning students to the total number of students hired will not exceed eighty (80) percent and eligible students may only work for a maximum of five (5) summer work terms.

For example:

A department hiring a total of ten (10) students is able to rehire not more than eight (8) students from the previous year provided that student applied again to the lottery. The remaining six (2) students will be new hires.

What is the procedure for rehire students?

Students eligible for rehiring must meet all eligibility criteria and resubmit their application to the Summer Student Lottery Program to be considered. The selection of students to be rehired is based on City Council policy and the student's performance appraisal from the previous year, and it will be at the discretion of the hiring manager.

For general information, contact 311.

For detailed inquiries, contact:
Human Resources Department
400 City Hall Square East, Suite 408
Windsor, Ontario N9A 7K6
Phone: (519) 255-6515
Fax: (519) 255-6504
TTY: (519) 255-6685
Email: recruitment@citywindsor.ca