The Ontario Government has established Ontario’s Task Force on Women and the Economy to help address the unique and disproportionate economic barriers women face – issues that have been heightened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Task Force’s recommendations will be reflected in future policy initiatives that support women as the Province rebuilds its economy post‑COVID‑19 and keeps pace with a rapidly evolving twenty‑first century workplace.
Ontario’s Task Force on Women and the Economy will meet throughout the summer of 2021.
The Task Force will focus on the following three key areas relating to women’s participation in economic growth:
– supporting women as they enter and re‑enter the workforce,
– supporting women’s entrepreneurship, and
– removing barriers for women to enter fields in which they are underrepresented including skilled trades and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
The Government announced the creation of a task force on inclusive growth in the 2021 Budget. Its mandate is to provide advice to the Minister of Finance and the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues to help address the unique and disproportionate economic barriers women face, particularly in an economy that will look different after COVID‑19.
Members of the Task Force were selected for their broad range of expertise, experience and insights into issues related to women’s economic participation. The Task Force’s recommendations will also be informed by direct consultation with diverse stakeholder groups whose work touches on women’s participation in the economy and workforce.
The Task Force will be chaired by Dr. Karin Schnarr, Associate Professor of Policy & Law at the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University where she also serves as the Director of the Undergraduate Business Program. Dr. Schnarr has 15 years of experience in government and private sector management consulting.
The Task Force’s work will be informed by direct consultations with diverse stakeholder groups whose work touches on women’s participation in the economy and Ontario’s workforce.
If you would like to share your feedback as part of this consultation, you can email your submission to submissions@ontario.ca. Submissions will be accepted until July 30, 2021.
Your submission may be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and may be posted online.
Please do not submit personal information, specific identifying details of individuals, companies or other entities or information that you would not want to be made public.