In a significant step towards addressing employment barriers faced by women, the province of Ontario recently announced a $768,000 investment in the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW). The funding is specifically allocated to CCMW’s project titled “Addressing Barriers to Employment for Muslim Women.” This initiative aims to enhance recruitment, retention, and advancement opportunities for women in non-traditional and growing economic sectors.
The investment highlights the importance of removing barriers and promoting equality for women in Canada, especially newcomer women who continue to face challenges in achieving fair representation in the Canadian workforce.
Federal Initiatives for Newcomer Women in Canada
At the federal level, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offer various programs and services to support women arriving in Canada. Two notable initiatives are the Women at Risk (WAR) program and the Racialized Newcomer Women Pilot (RNWP) program.
The WAR program provides urgent protection and assistance to vulnerable women without the requirement to demonstrate settlement potential. However, participants must still meet the necessary entrance examinations, including medical and security assessments.
The RNWP program focuses on improving settlement services and employment outcomes for racialized newcomer women, ensuring their equal participation in Canada’s economy. In January 2023, the IRCC announced additional funding for the RNWP program, reinforcing its commitment to empowering newcomer women.
Provincial and Territorial Support for Newcomer Women
Each Canadian province and territory offers localized services through organizations to support newcomer women in their settlement and employment journeys. Here are some examples of organizations providing assistance:
British Columbia:
Women’s Economic Council (Vancouver): A registered charity dedicated to advancing women’s participation in building resilient and inclusive economies, with a focus on removing systemic barriers.
Umoja Operation Compassion Society (Surrey): A charity providing specialized programming for immigrants, including services designed to help women in their daily lives and job searches.
Alberta:
Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association: Offers programs to assist immigrant women in navigating daily life, finding employment, and accessing mentorship and language training.
Making Changes Employment Association of Alberta (Calgary): Committed to creating a safe space for women and helping them advance their futures by providing employment services.
Saskatchewan:
International Women of Saskatoon – LEAD (Saskatoon): Offers a range of programs and services to assist newcomer women in employment, job search, language testing, settlement, and community engagement.
Manitoba:
Manitoba Start – Employment Solutions for Immigrants Inc. (Winnipeg): Provides employment services and support for immigrants, including programs tailored to the needs of women.
Ontario:
Access Alliance Multicultural Health & Community Services (Toronto): A service provider focused on improving health outcomes and supporting vulnerable individuals through systemic barriers and poverty.
Immigrant Women Services Ottawa:
Offers crisis intervention, counseling, interpretation, translation, settlement support, and integration services for newcomer women.
The list continues with organizations serving newcomer women in Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon.
The investment by the province of Ontario in the Canadian Council of Muslim Women underscores the commitment to addressing employment barriers faced by women in Canada. Alongside federal initiatives such as the WAR and RNWP programs, each province and territory has local organizations dedicated to supporting newcomer women.
By providing settlement services, employment assistance, language training, and mentorship opportunities, these organizations are empowering newcomer women to thrive in their new homes and contribute to the Canadian economy.
The collaborative efforts at all levels of government and within communities are essential in creating a more inclusive and equal society
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