Today, the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), issued the following statement in celebration of Women's Entrepreneurship Day:
"Our government believes that all women deserve the opportunity to participate, lead and thrive. Their increased participation helps grow Canada's economy, adding billions of dollars in GDP. Simply put, we cannot build the strongest economy in the G7 without the full and active participation of women.
"We have made investments in groundbreaking initiatives in the past to create a better entrepreneurial ecosystem for women to start or grow a business. Through more than $7 billion in investments and commitments, the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy has helped nearly 500,000 women access financing, advisory services, networking opportunities and mentorship so they can turn their dreams into realities.
"We are building on those investments and doing more to help women succeed in the economy. Budget 2025 proposes to allocate more than $380 million to revitalize and stabilize efforts to advance women's equality in Canada, through initiatives like the Women's Program.
"Our government recognizes that on top of investing in women entrepreneurs directly, we need to create the right social conditions for women to succeed. With our Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system, we are helping parents build their careers while giving their kids the best start in life. We have expanded paid parental leave options to give more women the freedom to pursue their professional goals and we brought the Pay Equity Act into force to close the gender wage gap.
"We also know that women cannot fully participate in the economy if they are not safe. That's why Budget 2025 proposes more than $220 million to strengthen federal action in response to gender-based violence in support of specific populations who have experienced such acts. This includes Indigenous women and underserved populations.
"Together, these initiatives are empowering women to redefine the entrepreneurial landscape, shatter glass ceilings and build a future economy where every woman has an equal opportunity to succeed.
"Today, join me in celebrating the women entrepreneurs and small business owners who contribute so much to our economy and communities."
