Backgrounder -  Government of Canada announces investment in women’s organizations in Québec’s Eastern Townships

Department for Women and Gender Equality – Women’s Program

One of the ways the Department for Women and Gender Equality 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, 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 serving women, whose initiatives contribute to a viable women’s movement in Canada that advances gender equality. Funding will increase the ability of organizations to grow, meet the increasing demands for their services, and continue to work collectively to address gender equality issues. 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.

Québec Projects

Today’s announcement in Sherbrooke, Québec, profiled two of the projects selected for federal funding through the Capacity-building Fund: 

ConcertAction Femmes Estrie

Project title: For Active and Strong Dialogue for Equality!
Funding amount: $249,797

Through this project, ConcertAction Femmes Estrie (CAFE) will grow its operations to better serve women in the Eastern Townships and develop a strategic plan for the coming years in order to advance equality between women and men and between women themselves in the Eastern Townships. It will also help them create new partnerships, invest in staff training for expertise Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+), and develop an advocacy and communication strategy.

ConcertAction Femmes Estrie is a regional feminist network created to meet the needs of women through liaison, consultation and solidarity. With its member groups, CAFE intervenes in a variety of areas such as health, education, the fight against poverty and violence, social development and access to decision-making bodies.

Promotion des Estriennes pour initier une nouvelle équité sociale (P.É.P.I.N.E.S)

Project title: Female Entrepreneurship
Funding amount: $196,820

Promotion des Estriennes pour initier une nouvelle équité sociale (P.É.P.I.N.E.S) will improve the financial health of the organization by developing a social economy enterprise, the mission of which will be to sell products promoting gender equality.

Established in 1992, P.É.P.I.N.E.S is a non-profit organization that empowers women to fully participate in socio-economic development and decision-making in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. The organization highlights the professional and volunteer achievements of women who have improved the living conditions and well-being of women in the community. It also works to increase women’s representation in positions of leadership.