Harper Government helps position women for economic success Français

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Status of Women Canada

Aug 15, 2014, 10:45 ET

Minister Leitch launches new Call for Proposals for projects to expand economic opportunities for women

WINNIPEG, Aug. 15, 2014 /CNW/ - The Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, and Joy Smith, Member of Parliament for Kildonan—St. Paul, today invited organizations across Canada to propose new projects that will promote the economic prosperity of women in Canada, and position them for greater economic success. Minister Leitch made the announcement during a visit to the Women's Enterprise Centre of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

The Government of Canada will be supporting projects selected through a new Call for Proposals by Status of Women Canada entitled Increasing Economic Prosperity for Women. These projects will engage women and others in addressing the unique challenges facing women in today's economy, and remove the barriers that prevent them from contributing fully to the growth of the economy in their communities.

The deadline for applications to be submitted for this Call for Proposals is by noon (12:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time) on October 17, 2014.

To make the process easy, applications for funding are accepted online. Please click on "Apply Now" and follow the instructions to proceed with your online application.

This Call for Proposals by Status of Women Canada aligns with the Government of Canada's number one priority which is to support jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for all Canadians.

Quick Facts

  • Projects under this Call for Proposals will engage key stakeholders – institutions, employers, sector and professional organizations and local communities - to promote the economic prosperity of women in Canada. They will also address institutional barriers and other factors that limit economic opportunities for women.
  • Through the Women's Program at Status of Women Canada, the Government of Canada has invested more than $54 million in projects that promote women's economic security and prosperity throughout the economy.
  • On June 26, 2014, the report of the Government of Canada's Advisory Council for Promoting Women on Boards was released. It outlines a roadmap for improving the representation of women on public and private boards that will also build a stronger economy. One of the report's main recommendations is that public and private sectors in Canada aspire to seeing women attain 30% of all board positions over the next five years.
  • Economic Action Plan 2014 outlined the Government's commitment to increasing mentorship for women looking to start their own businesses and become entrepreneurs.

Quotes

 "Our Government is committed to creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for all Canadians. We continue to support new projects that will help expand opportunities for women in communities across Canada because when women succeed, Canada succeeds."    

The Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch
Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women

"This Government of Canada initiative will support projects that expand economic opportunities for women in Winnipeg and across the country. It is another good example of how our Government's actions are helping Canadian women succeed and Canada prosper."

Joy Smith
Member of Parliament for Kildonan—St. Paul

"We applaud the Government of Canada for continuing its efforts to create new economic opportunities for women across Canada. This Call for Proposals will make a tremendous difference in the lives of so many women and their families."

Sandra Altner,
CEO, Women's Enterprise Centre of Manitoba

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Backgrounder

Call for Proposals – Increasing Economic Prosperity for Women

The new Call for Proposals launched today by the Minister is entitled Economic Prosperity:  Positioning Women for Success. It will provide funding for innovative projects at the national, regional, or community level that support economic opportunities for women in Canada.

Eligible organizations must address a number of project elements in their applications. More information is available at women.gc.ca.

Who is eligible under this Call for Proposals?

Eligible recipients include legally constituted organizations that are:

  • Not-for-profit Canadian organizations, excluding labour unions;
  • For-profit Canadian organizations, if the nature and intent of the funded activity is non-commercial and not intended to generate profit;
  • Aboriginal governments (including band councils, tribal councils and self-government entities) and their agencies in rural and remote areas where there is a lack of capacity among non-profit and for-profit organizations; and
  • Territorial governments (local, regional, territorial) and their agencies in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

What is the deadline for applications?

The deadline for applications to be submitted for this Call for Proposals is by noon (12:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time) on October 17, 2014.

  • To make the process easy, applications for funding are accepted online. Please click on "Apply Now" and follow the instructions to proceed with your online application.
  • You may also find it useful to contact a Status of Women Canada program officer before submitting your application. Survey results show that most successful applicants consult with a program officer during the application process, either by contacting them directly or by attending an information session. To get in touch with a program officer, please contact the Status of Women Canada office in your region.

What are the eligible project/activities?

Funding is provided for activities related to a project that:

  • Align with the call under which you submit your proposal;
  • Articulates clear plans to achieve demonstrable results; and
  • Involves women who are affected by the issue being addressed by the project.

The following projects/activities will not be funded:

  • Those that  take place outside of Canada, with the exception of activities related to the United Nations (UN) that connect directly to the project and have written approval from Status of Women Canada;
  • Domestic advocacy activities and lobbying of federal, provincial and municipal governments;
  • Ongoing activities; and
  • Research and polling activities. (Research activities can be supported if they are directly linked to the project but are not its sole or major focus.)

Funding through the Women's Program

  • The Women's Program of Status of Women Canada accepts applications for funding through calls for proposals, as well as on an ongoing basis. This allows Status of Women Canada to respond to emerging issues and increases opportunities for organizations to identify additional funding partners.
  • Projects funded by Status of Women Canada are diverse in nature and scope, target different beneficiaries, apply a variety of strategies and implement various activities.
  • All proposals are assessed against standard criteria which include eligibility, alignment with Program/Call for Proposal priorities, knowledge and experience of the applicant organization, partner collaboration, and budget.

Women in Canada's Economy

  • In 2013, women represented 47.3% of the labour force, up from 45.7% in 1999 and 37.1% in 1976.[i]
  • Although the gap between men's and women's labour market participation[ii] continues to narrow, women's participation rate still trails that of men. The labour market participation rate for women aged 15 to 74 was 68% in 2012, compared to 76% for men of the same age.[iii] 
  • Women held majority-ownership of 16% of small- and medium-sized businesses in 2011. However, women are more likley to own small than medium-sized businesses. In 2011, women had sole-ownership of 14% of small businesses and only 4% of medium-sized businesses.[iv]
  • According to the BMO Financial Group, women-owned businesses currently employ over 1.5 million Canadians.[v]
  • According to RBC Economics, in 2011, the contribution of majority-owned women's business to the Canadian economy was an estimated $148 billion.[vi]

i Statistics Canada "Labour Force Survey" Table 282-0087 (December 2013).accessed February 19, 2014 http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&retrLang=eng&id=2820087&pattern=282-0069..282-0089&tabMode=dataTable&srchLan=-1&p1=-1&p2=31  

ii The participation rate represents the labour force expressed as a percentage of the population aged 15  and over. The participation rate for a particular group (age, sex, etc.) is the labour force in that group expressed as a percentage of the population for that group.

iii Finance Canada. Jobs Report: the State of the Canadian Labour Market.  (Feb 2014).

iv Industry Canada, Key Small Business Statistics (August 2013).

v BMO Financial Group. BMO Women's Day Study  (March 2012).

vi RBC Economics, Canadian Women Grabbing the Baton (October 2013).

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For news releases and information on Status of Women Canada, go to women.gc.ca.

SOURCE: Status of Women Canada

For media inquiries only: Andrew McGrath, A/Director of Communications, Office of the Hon. Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, P.C., O.Ont., M.P., Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, Tel: 819-953-5646, [email protected];For all other inquiries: Nanci-Jean Waugh, Director General, Communications and Public Affairs, Status of Women Canada, Tel: 819-420-6810

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