Backgrounder -  Government of Canada invests in women’s organization in Gaspésie

Women and Gender Equality Canada – Women’s Program

One of the ways Women and Gender Equality Canada 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.

Gaspésie Project

Today’s announcement in Chandler, Québec, profiled an organization selected for federal funding through the Capacity-building Fund:

La maison d’aide et d’hébergement Blanche-Morin

Project title: AMIR: Act, Manage, Innovate, Renew [AGIR (Accompagner, Gérer, Innover, Renouveler)]
Funding amount: $220,530

La maison d’aide et d’hébergement Blanche-Morin will improve the resources it offers to survivors of domestic violence. It will determine key areas for development and create action and succession plans to address gaps in the organization and enable it to reposition itself to better deal with issues that result from domestic violence.             

Originally created in 1981 as the “Comité pour l’avancement des femmes gaspésiennes,” La maison d’aide et d’hébergement Blanche-Morin is a shelter and service provider for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. It offers a variety of resources and information, including intervention, social, medical, legal, and documentation services.