When Seneca College designed a new hospitality management program four years ago, its administration decided to go against the tide of unpaid workers flooding the job market.

Young people who work as unpaid interns often do so through a school program and receive an academic credit — rather than minimum wage — in exchange for their labour.

But Angela Zigras, chair of the school of tourism, said she believes long-term or full-time placements should be paid.

“We had it as our mandate when we started this program that our students would not go out as free labour,” said Zigras.

“We said we want industry standard rates for our students. We don’t want them getting less than anyone else doing this job would get.”

Ofir Perelman said he chose the college for that reason.

“I’m a mature student. I’m almost 30. I don’t have parents, I’m an immigrant, I need to support myself here,” said Perelman, originally from Israel, who did an internship at The Country Club in Woodbridge and now works there. He has friends who worked for no pay in the same field.

“It was hard for them, spiritually and financially.”

The Employment Standards Act has strict conditions under which an organization can hire an intern without paying at least minimum wage. But exemption from the act is automatic if the intern performs work as part of a high school, college or university program.

Critics say that simply leads to more students doing unpaid, menial tasks and want the province to better regulate the school programs.

In September, there was public outcry when Vancouver’s posh Fairmont Waterfront hotel placed ads seeking unpaid interns to bus tables. But several unpaid interns in the hotel industry told the Star this month they found themselves making beds, scrubbing carpets and even cleaning toilets alongside the paid housekeeping staff as part of their college degree.

Chun-Yi (Bryan) Chu, 27, who like Perelman graduated this spring, said he couldn’t afford to take an unpaid placement. His family is in Taiwan.

“I think if I’m going to work for free, I’d rather just find a job myself that can pay me some money,” Chu said. He made minimum wage plus gratuities as a banquet server at Angus Glen Golf Club and Conference Centre in Markham, and considers himself lucky to still have a job there post-graduation.

The provincial Labour ministry has no plans to reconsider the legal loophole that allows unpaid internships in Ontario.

In a statement Tuesday, Labour Minister Yasir Naqvi said the colleges and universities that administer the programs are responsible for providing a rewarding educational experience.

“While most workers are covered by the Employment Standards Act, there is a narrow exemption that exists for co-op students. It allows for accredited university and college programs to give their students valuable workplace experience while pursuing their degree,” he said.

New Democrat labour critic Taras Natyshak disagreed, saying it was “high time” the provincial government re-examined its labour laws.

“I think there is a role for government to play in reviewing the Employment Standards Act to ensure that young workers aren’t being taken advantage of and being used as free, unpaid labour. I don’t think anyone in the province of Ontario would think that’s a good youth employment strategy.”

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Claire Seaborn, president of the Canadian Intern Association, wants the ministry of colleges and training to provide greater regulation and oversight.

There is a “disconnect” between government departments, she said.

“The problem is the Ministry of Labour is the only ministry looking at internships right now, and they don’t look at the academic context. You have the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities that isn’t looking at regulating this issue at all.”

That group advocates no more than around 20 per cent of a full course load should go unpaid, the rough equivalent of three to four weeks of work or 125 hours. Many college placements span an entire semester.

There are no plans to review Ontario’s academic internships, said Emily Hedges, press secretary to Brad Duguid, minister of training, colleges and universities. Both the federal and provincial labour ministries have received complaints from unpaid interns.

Last year, 60 Seneca students worked in hotels around the world. Students rotate through different departments like front office, housekeeping, catering and sales, the college’s Zigras said. She estimates more than 5,000 paid hotel jobs are available globally at any given time and lists partner hotels like the Fairmont, which also accepts unpaid interns from other schools.

Fairmont spokesman Mike Taylor said the hotel company pays students as required.

“Each school would be responsible for defining the parameters of their course curriculum and any related internship component,” including pay, he said.

Toronto labour lawyer Andrew Langille wants to see changes to the system including government inspections of work placements and a cap of 10 hours per week as part of a “wholesale re-evaluation of work-integrated learning programs.”

“Cleaning rooms and toilets raises serious concerns whether these programs have any educational content whatsoever,” Langille said.

The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance advocates bringing student interns under protection of the Employment Standards Act and plans to meet with Labour ministry representatives next week.

“Unpaid internships, in the past, were supposed to be a structured learning environment entirely for the benefit of the student,” said alliance president Amir Eftekarpour. “What we see is students not gaining a great learning experience and not being compensated for the material work they’re doing.”