Government of Canada announces investment in women's organizations in the Bas-Saint-Laurent and in the Gaspésie-Les Îles regions Français

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Women and Gender Equality Canada

Jul 06, 2020, 10:00 ET

Projects address capacity needs to allow organizations to continue promoting social and systemic changes towards gender equality

ESCUMINAC, QC, July 6, 2020 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada recognizes that, in recent months, the daily lives of not-for-profit and non-governmental organizations, including women's organizations, have been particularly shaken as the COVID-19 pandemic added further pressure on their already limited and valuable resources. The Government of Canada is determined to continue to support them as best as possible.

Women's organizations provide vital services in our communities, supporting women and girls to be financially secure, free from violence, and able to fully participate in all aspects of our economy and society. Yet for far too long they have been chronically underfunded, underestimated and undermined.

That's why today, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, announced a total investment of $400,687 for three projects in the Bas-Saint-Laurent and in the Gaspésie-Les Îles regions.

All three projects are addressing the capacity needs of the organizations receiving funding, and are helping them to continue to promote social and systemic changes towards gender equality:

  • The Centre-Femmes Catherine Leblond in Trois-Pistoles received $133,579 to enhance their strategic planning capacity;
  • The Centre-Femmes du Grand-Portage in Rivière-du-Loup received $5,212 to increase their diversification of funding; and
  • The Table de concertation des groupes de femmes de la Gaspésie et des Îles-de-la-Madeleine in Escuminac received $261,896 to enhance their strategic planning capacity, increase their advocacy and mobilization capacity and develop new management tools, amongst others.

These are among the more than 250 women's organizations and Indigenous organizations serving women across Canada receiving funding under Women and Gender Equality Canada's Capacity-building Fund. This investment stems from the Budget 2018 announcement of $100 million over five years to support a viable and sustainable women's movement across the country.

Quotes

"With our historic investments, we recognize the women and women's organizations breaking through barriers and express our gratitude to those who have been doing this work for decades on little more than a shoestring budget. The women's movement across Canada has been asking for a reliable, predictable and accessible source of funds to ensure the sustainability of their work. With stable and flexible funding, we are helping Centre-Femmes Catherine Leblond, the Centre-Femmes du Grand-Portage and the Table de concertation des groupes de femmes de la Gaspésie et des Îles-de-la-Madeleine to grow and thrive, because we know that investing in women's organizations is an effective way to advance gender equality. By supporting a movement that has achieved amazing results, we are growing the middle class, strengthening families and communities, and creating lasting change that benefits everyone."

The Honourable Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P.
Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development

"I am proud that the Government of Canada is supporting organizations that are working hard to empower women and to ensure that their rights and interests are respected. The three organizations receiving funding today are standing out for their dynamism and for their dedication towards gender equality. These projects are making a real difference in the lives of women in the Bas-Saint-Laurent, in Gaspésie and in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine."

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, P.C., M.P.
Minister of National Revenue
Member of Parliament for Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine

"The Centre-Femmes Catherine-Leblond is greatly appreciative for this federal funding, which is allowing us to expand and further develop our strategic planning, helping to improve the lives of women in Trois-Pistoles."

Louise Lebel, President
Centre-Femmes Catherine-Leblond

"The Centre-Femmes du Grand-Portage is proud to receive this funding from the Government of Canada. Greater financial diversification is allowing us to increase our autonomy and financial potential and thus continue to support even more women in Rivière-du-Loup."

Julie Provencher, President
Centre-Femmes du Grand-Portage

"The Table de concertation des groupes de femmes de la Gaspésie et des Îles-de-la-Madeleine carries out many activities to defend the wellbeing of women and to respond to the major issues affecting them in our region. We are appreciative of this funding from the federal government as it helps to ensure the continuity of these important activities."

Mireille Chartrand, Coordinator
Table de concertation des groupes de femmes de la Gaspésie et des Îles-de-la-Madeleine

Quick Facts

  • As part of the COVID-19 response, the Government of Canada is investing $350 million in the Emergency Community Support Fund to support charities and non-profit organizations requiring financial assistance to address the pandemic.
  • Budget 2018 announced $100 million over five years to support a viable and sustainable women's movement across Canada. Adding to this historic investment, Budget 2019 invested a further $160 million over five years, starting in 2019–20, in Women and Gender Equality Canada's Women's Program. This means that in 2023–24, the Women's Program, which supports eligible organizations to carry out projects to advance equality by addressing systemic barriers, will total $100 million.
  • This funding will enable women's organizations and Indigenous organizations serving women to tackle systemic barriers impeding women's progress, while recognizing and addressing the diverse experiences of gender and inequality across the country.

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Backgrounder

Women and Gender Equality Canada – Women's Program

One of the ways Women and Gender Equality Canada advances gender equality in Canada is by providing funding to eligible organizations through the Women's Program. Projects are selected via calls for proposals on specific themes, as well as through a continuous intake process that allows the Women's Program to address emerging issues as they arise.

The Women's Program funds projects that address systemic barriers to women's equality in three priority areas: ending violence against women and girls; improving the economic security and prosperity of women and girls; and encouraging women and girls in leadership roles.

Capacity-building Call for Proposals

In October 2018, Minister Monsef announced a Call for Proposals under the Capacity-building Fund of the Women's Program. Projects at the local, provincial/territorial, and national level were eligible for different amounts of funding, based on their specific internal needs and reach.

On March 8, 2019, International Women's Day, Minister Monsef announced that over 250 women's organizations across the country would receive funding from the Capacity-building Fund.

The objective is to fund proposals that will increase the capacity of eligible women's organizations and Indigenous organizations working to advance women's equality, whose initiatives contribute to a viable women's movement in Canada that advances gender equality. Funding will help to increase organizational capacity and help organizations work collectively to address gender equality issues. This funding provided the flexibility for organizations to apply for funding to address their specific capacity needs. The fund stems from the Budget 2018 announcement of $100 million over five years to help support a viable and sustainable women's movement across Canada.

Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie-Les Îles regions' Projects

Today's announcement profiles three projects in the Bas-Saint-Laurent and in the Gaspésie-Les Îles regions for federal funding through the Capacity-building Fund:

Centre-femmes Catherine-Leblond Inc.

Project title: Looking to the Future
Funding amount: $133,579

This 45-month project increases organizational capacity to allow them to continue to promote social and systemic change towards gender equality. Organizational capacity is being enhanced through greater strategic planning and improved management and communication skills.

The Centre-femmes Catherine-Leblond is a non-profit organization based in Trois-Pistoles that works to improve women's living conditions. The organization offers women a place to belong and a place to transition, an alternative to isolation, as well as an education and action network. The organization proposes activities to promote egalitarian relationships between men and women, supports women in their efforts to achieve autonomy and denounces all forms of violence, prejudice and injustice against women.

Centre-Femmes du Grand-Portage

Project title: Developing our Funding
Funding amount: $5,212

This 12-month project increases organizational capacity to allow them to continue to promote social and systemic change towards gender equality. Organizational capacity is being enhanced through the diversification of their funding sources.

The Centre-Femmes du Grand-Portage is a non-profit organization based in Rivière‑du‑Loup. The organization aims to provide a place where women can meet and give each other the means to become independent, according to their individual needs. The organization aims to educate, raise awareness, prevent violence, mobilize and provide information on the status of women.

Table de concertation des groupes de femmes de la Gaspésie et des Îles-de-la-Madeleine 

Project title: Equality, a shared responsibility
Funding amount: $261,896

This 45-month project addresses organizational capacity needs to allow them to continue promoting social and systemic changes towards gender equality. Organizational capacity is being enhanced through the following activities: human resources management, strategic planning, partnership development, collaboration and networking, development of an advocacy strategy, implementation of results-based management, as well as the development of a mechanism for knowledge transfer.

The Table de concertation des groupes de femmes de la Gaspésie et des Îles-de-la-Madeleine acts politically to ensure that women's rights and interests are concretely respected in various fields such as health, education and the social and economic development of the region. Their action is non-partisan. The organization carries out actions that characterize the collective defence of women's rights, namely popular education activities focused on rights and democratic life, and mobilization and representation activities.

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SOURCE Women and Gender Equality Canada

Marie-Pier Baril, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, 613-295-8123; Media Relations, Women and Gender Equality Canada, 1-855-969-9922

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Women and Gender Equality Canada