Federal funding to help increase opportunities for women in Quebec and build a more resilient economy for everyone in Canada
QUEBEC CITY, March 21, 2025 /CNW/ - Women continue to face persistent pay equity challenges, underrepresentation in high-paying jobs, a disproportionate load of caregiving responsibilities, and a lack of pathways for career growth. Unlocking economic and leadership opportunities for women will lead to a more prosperous and resilient economy for everyone in Canada.
Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Member of Parliament for Québec, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant, who is responsible for the Department for Women and Gender Equality , highlighted $533,029 for Corporation de développement économique communautaire (CDEC) de Québec. Their project Towards a More Inclusive and Equal Entrepreneurial Ecosystem will target entrepreneur support organizations working across the province of Quebec to address systemic barriers that hinder women's entrepreneurial success. Their work will raise awareness of the challenges women entrepreneurs face, develop tools and activities to enhance support practices, provide training for employees and management in entrepreneur support organizations, and help transform policies and programs to build a more inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem.
This funding is part of the previously announced investment of up to $100 million for 163 projects to improve economic and leadership opportunities for women across Canada. The projects will advance gender equality through one or more of the following ways:
Changing gender norms and attitudes by working to change beliefs, assumptions, and stereotypes based on gender and other identity factors.
Supporting changes to authority, voices at the table, and decision-making power by working to address power imbalances to ensure women are part of the dialogue and solution.
Increasing networks and collaboration by building and strengthening partnerships to work across sectors and break down silos.
Encouraging more effective and equitable sharing of resources by sharing, mobilizing, and redistributing resources to support equality.
Changing policies and practices by creating, changing, or removing policies and practices to address sexism and other barriers to gender equality.
This funding supports Women and Gender Equality Canada's continued work to advance equality through the inclusion of people of all genders, including women, in Canada's economic, social, and political life.
Quotes
'By supporting organizations like CDEC de Québec, we are continuing our work to advance gender equality in the entrepreneurial sector. This project will help create a more inclusive business environment for women across Quebec as it seeks to address systemic barriers and equip organizations with tools and training. Together, we are working to ensure that women entrepreneurs have what they need to succeed and contribute to the growth of our economy.'
The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant
'In Québec, women's entrepreneurship is a driving force that deserves support equal to its potential. By breaking systemic barriers and making support more inclusive, the CDEC paves the way for bold women entrepreneurs shaping the local economy of tomorrow.'
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Member of Parliament for Québec
Quick facts
Women's wages have grown steadily since the 1990s, but disparities persist. In 2024, women in Canada earned 0.89 cents for every dollar earned by men. The pay gap is wider for immigrant women who earned 0.82 cents for every dollar earned by men.
Women are overrepresented in low-wage occupations. 28.2% of women, compared to 16.2% of men, work in the five lowest-paid occupations in Canada (sales and service jobs, care providers, and administrative support roles).
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