The provincial government says it continues to remove barriers to create better opportunities for women and girls as it celebrates International Women’s Day.
This year’s theme is “Invest in women: Accelerate progress.”
Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunities, says improved access to childcare has allowed more women to enter or return to the labour force.
“The Financial Accountability Officer found that the labour participation rate of mothers with children between the ages of zero to five increased from 76.5% in 2021 to 78.9% in 2022,” says Williams.
“It’s a 2.4% increase in just under one year. And that’s the highest increase on record since 1976 for all core-aged mothers participating in the job market. That’s something to celebrate.”
Williams also points out measures helping more women to enter the trades, leading to a 30% increase in women in apprenticeships.
“As a part of our government’s $1 billion in skilled trades strategy, we are also working with schools to build passion for the trades in early life. Through Ontario’s youth apprenticeship program, we’ve invested $22 million to give high school students the chance to explore the trades through cooperative education courses.”
Women are also receiving support to start their own businesses in Ontario.
Williams notes that Canada ranks among the top three countries in the world for female entrepreneurship, with the province introducing programs that support small businesses and entrepreneurs.
“From 2021 to 2023, these programs have helped more than 14,000 women by providing flexible programs, wraparound services, and have helped more than 3600 women start their own businesses or get further training and education.”
