New federal funding will help improve women’s economic security in Québec

News release

Project will help more women gain access to the trucking industry

August 10, 2018 – Montréal, Québec – Status of Women Canada

The Government 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.

The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women, today announced Government of Canada funding for a project that will increase women’s economic security in Québec.

Camo-route will receive $294,000 in funding for their project, “Women Truck Drivers: Target 10%.” This project will help more women join the trucking industry in Québec. Over the next three years, Camo-route will collaborate with key partners to identify and remove barriers that cause the under-representation of women in Quebec’s trucking industry. The goal of the project is to change current recruitment, integration and training practices of businesses and training centres so that more women can find jobs in the industry.

Status of Women Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada, and Transport Canada are working together in order to improve the participation of groups that are currently under-represented in the transportation sector.

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.

In October 2017, Status of Women Canada invited organizations to propose projects that support women’s economic security across Canada by addressing some of the root causes of inequality, including barriers such as access to childcare, unequal pay and the gender wage gap. Through this call for proposals, entitled Support for Women’s Economic Security, more than 30 projects have been approved for a total of $10 million in funding. These projects will unfold over a period of three years, and funding builds on our ongoing efforts to support women’s economic empowerment and advance gender equality for all Canadians.

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 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

“The federal government is committed to increasing women’s participation in the transportation sector and other non-traditional fields. Camo-Route’s excellent initiative will help more women find work in the trucking industry, which is important for our society and our economy. This project will further our goal of advancing gender equality.”

The Honourable Marc Garneau, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Transport
Member of Parliament for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount

“We are very pleased that the Government of Canada is supporting our project. Our goal over the next three years is to inspire the changes necessary to correct the historic under-representation of women in the trucking industry, and help more women get involved in this dynamic and growing sector of the Québec economy.”

Bernard Boulé, Director General
Camo-route

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. 

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Contacts

Rosalyn Stevens
Special Assistant: Communications
Office of the Minister of Status of Women
613-314-1225

Valérie Haché
Communications Officer
Status of Women Canada
819-420-8684

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