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Gender Equality Week

Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, issued the following statement to mark Gender Equality Week:

“Gender Equality Week is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and leadership of women and their contributions to the economy, culture and history of our province. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge that women and girls continue to face barriers to achieving their full potential – particularly Indigenous, Black, and racialized women, people from 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities, immigrant women, and women living with disabilities.

This year’s theme is ‘Unlocking Potential: Economic Power Through Gender Equality’, and it illustrates how building a fairer society helps communities prosper, strengthens Ontario’s economy, and benefits us all.

Our government is working to address gender equality gaps and to empower women to succeed everywhere—at home, at work, and in their communities. We are helping more women to excel in business, in leadership roles, as entrepreneurs, and in sectors where the need is greatest so they can achieve financial security for themselves and their families.

This is why we have invested over $1.5 billion in the skilled trades to support a range of initiatives to help more people, including women and girls, build a passion for the trades early in life and access skilled trades opportunities. We have also expanded the Women’s Economic Security and the Investing in Women’s Futures programs to help more women build the skills, knowledge and experience they need to find a job or start a business.

To prepare the next generation of women, we updated the school curriculum to increase exposure to STEM, skilled trades, and apprenticeship pathways so more girls and young women can access in-demand and well-paying careers – including in sectors where women are traditionally underrepresented.

Our government will continue to work with communities, businesses, and the non-profit sector to improve opportunities for women, help build a more equal society, and foster more prosperous communities.

Because when women succeed, Ontario succeeds.”

Ontario Government
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