New federal funding will help improve women's economic security in Ontario's Niagara Region

Project will improve access to childcare and transportation for rural women

WELLAND, ON, Sept. 7, 2018 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to advancing gender equality and understands the important role that creating more opportunities for women in all aspects of Canadian life can play in promoting women's empowerment. By investing in projects that improve women's economic security, we are helping to ensure that women, their families and communities can prosper.

Vance Badawey, the Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women, today announced federal funding for a project that will increase women's economic security and prosperity in the Niagara region of Ontario. 

Solidarité des femmes et familles immigrantes francophones du Niagara (SOFIFRAN) will receive $269,582 in funding for their project, "Sécuriser les femmes du Niagara" (Securing women in the Niagara region). In this 36-month project, SOFIFRAN will work with various partners to develop a practical and comprehensive child care and transportation model that addresses the needs of low-income francophone immigrant women facing barriers to employment. It will be tested in collaboration with partners in the region, and could become a best practice model for similar communities across Canada.

Women continue to be disproportionately affected by economic insecurity. In 2015, women in Canada earned just 87 cents for every dollar earned by men. They are also much more likely to work on a part-time basis, making up 76% of all part-time workers, with 25% of women reporting child care responsibilities as their reason for working part-time.

Quotes

"Our government knows that when we invest in women, we strengthen the economy for everyone, and that's why these projects are so important: they are creating the right conditions for women to thrive in their careers – and their lives. By funding organizations like Solidarité des femmes et familles immigrantes francophones du Niagara that will target the barriers holding women back, we are ensuring that all Canadians – regardless of gender – have a real and fair chance at success."

The Honourable Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Status of Women

"Women make enormous contributions to economies, whether in businesses, on farms, as entrepreneurs or employees, or by doing unpaid care work at home. For a region like ours, where most cities are faced with factory and business closures, the significance of funding women's economic programs ensures higher incomes, better access to and control over resources, and greater security, including protection from gender-based violence. I am so proud of our government for funding this project. Investing in women's economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication and inclusive economic growth."

Vance Badawey
Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre

"Francophone immigrant women in rural areas who don't have a car are often cut off from training, education and employment opportunities. This project will help address that challenge and bring many more women into the workforce. We are very pleased that the Government of Canada is supporting our project."

Spokesperson
Solidarité des femmes et familles immigrantes francophones du Niagara

Quick Facts

• RBC Economics estimates that adding more women to the workforce could boost the level of Canada's GDP by as much as 4 per cent.
• McKinsey Global Institute estimates that by taking steps to advance equality for women—such as employing more women in technology and boosting women's participation in the workforce—Canada could add $150 billion to its economy by 2026.
• Projects are being funded through the call for proposals, Support for Women's Economic Security, which was announced in October 2017.
• Economic security is composed of basic social security, defined by access to basic needs such as health, education and housing.
• More than 30 projects will receive a total of approximately $10 million in funding under this call for proposals.
• Funded projects address institutional barriers to women's economic security including access to childcare, pay inequity and the gender wage gap.
• The Women's Program at Status of Women Canada supports eligible organizations to carry out projects to advance equality by addressing systemic barriers.

Related Product

• Backgrounder

Associated Links

• Solidarité des femmes et familles immigrantes francophones du Niagara
• Support for Women's Economic Security
• Call for Proposals Application Guide
• General Eligibility Requirements for Women's Program Funding
• Guidelines for Eligible Expenses
• Status of Women Canada – Women's Program

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Backgrounder

Status of Women Canada – Women's Program

One of the ways Status of Women Canada advances gender equality 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 accept applications on an ongoing basis.

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

Calls for Proposals – Support for Women's Economic Security and Addressing the Economic Security and Prosperity of Indigenous Women

On October 2, 2017, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women, launched two calls for proposals. The first call, entitled Support for Women's Economic Security, invited organizations to apply for funding for projects to address the economic security of women and help advance gender equality in Canada. More than 30 projects will receive a total of $10 million in funding through this call for proposals.

This call for proposals is divided into two themes; the first is Building Partnerships to Address Systemic Barriers, which provides funding to address major barriers that limit women's economic security, including, but not limited to, the accessibility of childcare, the gender wage gap and pay inequity.

The second theme, Increasing Private Sector Leadership and Investments in Women, encourages organizations to partner with the private sector to find innovative solutions that will help advance women's economic security.

The second call for proposals, entitled Addressing the Economic Security and Prosperity of Indigenous Women, invited organizations to foster collaboration between Indigenous women, Indigenous organizations, their communities, and the private sector to support the economic security and prosperity of Indigenous women across Canada. Fourteen projects across the country will receive more than $4.3 million in funding through this call for proposals.

Funded Project

Solidarité des femmes et familles immigrantes francophones du Niagara (SOFIFRAN) is committed to helping with the social and economic integration of francophone women immigrants in the Niagara region. 

Project Description

SOFIFRAN will receive $269,582 in funding for their project, "Sécuriser les femmes du Niagara". In this 36-month project, SOFIFRAN will work with child care service providers, school boards, city councils, transportation companies and others to develop a practical and comprehensive child care and transportation model that addresses the needs of low-income francophone immigrant women facing barriers to employment. The organization will conduct research and a needs assessment using gender-based analysis and will also use focus groups of francophone immigrant women to develop a strategic plan to provide concrete solutions to the challenges facing working mothers. The project will result in the development of a comprehensive child care model to be tested in collaboration with partners in the region, and could become a best practice model for similar communities across Canada.

Statistics – Women's Economic Security 

• In 2017, women in Ontario earned $.87 for every dollar earned by men on an average hourly basis. Said differently, in 2017 there was a gender wage gap of $0.13.
• In 2017, the employment rate was 57.2% among women and 65% among men in Ontario.
• In 2017, 25.5% of employed women and 12.9% of employed men in Ontario worked part-time.
• In 2015, 82.0% of women in the core working ages of 25 to 54 years (6 million) participated in the labour market.
• In 2015, women represented 47.2% of the labour force, up from 45.7% in 1999 and 37.1% in 1976.
• In 2015, the national employment rate for women was 77.5% compared to 85.3% for men.
• On average women work 5.6 hours per week less than men (35.5 hours/week compared to 41.1 hours/week).
• Currently, 19% of employed women work part-time (compared with 5.5% of employed men).
• The average net worth of lone mothers was less than half of that of lone fathers: $240,000 versus $540,000. Unattached women and men had similar average net worth at $250,000 and $230,000, respectively.
• Lone mothers had the lowest average adjusted income ($25,300), followed by those who were unattached ($33,700). The average adjusted incomes of lone fathers and unattached men were similar (around $40,300). Notably, the average adjusted income of lone mothers was $15,000 less than that of lone fathers.

SOURCE Status of Women Canada

Justine Villeneuve, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Status of Women, 613-558-9795; Valérie Haché, Communications Officer, Status of Women Canada, 819-420-8684