Federal money for female entrepreneurs
The federal government is providing the Cape Breton Partnership with $297,700 for a project addressing barriers to women’s entrepreneurship.
Sydney-Victoria MP Mark Eyking made the announcement in Sydney on Friday on behalf of Maryam Monsef, minister of Status of Women.
In 2015, women in Canada earned 87 cents for every dollar earned by men. They are also more likely to work on a part-time basis, making up 76 per cent of all part-time workers, with 25 per cent of women reporting childcare responsibilities as their reason for working part time.
The Cape Breton Partnership project is intended to help more women achieve economic security through entrepreneurship by increasing their access to support services, programs and networks.
The agency will create a community of practice for women entrepreneurs, analyze the existing support system, conduct consultations and focus groups and develop a gender equity action plan, among other activities.
“Entrepreneurship is a pathway to women’s economic security,” said Carla Arsenault, CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership in a news release. “Through this new funding, we are working to provide women entrepreneurs in Cape Breton with better access to support resources, programs and networks, so that they can create thriving businesses as successful entrepreneurs.”
In October, 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, pay inequity and the gender wage gap.
Through this call for proposals, more than 30 projects have been approved for a total of $10 million in funding. Approved projects will unfold over three years.
“When I think of the women of Cape Breton, I think of their passion, hard work and resiliency,” Eyking said. “Yet, they still face unique challenges. I’m very pleased with the funding our government has provided to the Cape Breton Partnership, and the important work the partnership will do to focus on addressing the barriers to success women face.”