G(irls)20 Reacts to Budget 2021: A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth, and Resilience

Young women have been disproportionately affected by the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 in Canada. Young women (18-24 years old) made up 59% of the total job losses when the pandemic began, and as of last month, young women are suffering employment losses three times worse than the national average –the furthest of any demographic away from pre-COVID numbers.

YWCA Canada has said labour market disruption could have a long-term scarring effect -- if left unaddressed, COVID-19 induced youth unemployment will affect an entire generation’s workforce participation, taking young women back to their grandmothers’ participation levels.

One year ago, G(irls)20 laid out a path to ensure young women not be left behind, including addressing educational interruption, gathering data about Black, Indigenous, and young women of colour’s experiences, and advocating for young women’s inclusion at decision-making tables.

Earlier this week, Canada’s federal government revealed the 2021 Budget: one that has been described in our sector as a #FeministRecoveryBudget. G(irls)20 is heartened to see some significant announcements that will address the looming crisis of young women’s economic participation, including:

  • Establishing a Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system

  • Supports for Student Learning Program addressing education interruption

  • On-the-job training and learning opportunities through a commitment to helping youth and students build job skills and connect with employers “through additional funding towards the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, the Student Work Placement Program, and the Canada Summer Jobs program”

  • Providing additional funding to support the Black Entrepreneurship Program

Furthermore, G(irls)20 has joined partners in the non-profit sector to call for urgent support to the sector in the wake of COVID-19, recognizing the disproportionate gender issues at play in which 80% of the non-profit workforce are women. We are pleased to see support to the sector including:

  • Supporting Black Canadian communities through additional investments for Black-led non-profit organizations and establishing a Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund

  • Creation of a Community Services Fund

  • Investments in the Investment Readiness Program and Social Finance Fund

  • Extension of Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy and the creation of a Canada Recovery Hiring Program

When the Government of Canada’s Task Force on Women in the Economy was announced on March 8th, 2021, there were no young women included. While we are pleased with the support outlined above, we are disappointed that no specific funding was earmarked for young women’s economic participation. We remain hopeful that future Task Forces and budgets include young women at the decision-making table, particularly young women with intersecting identities, to ensure a more robust response for one of the demographics hardest hit by COVID.

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Barriers to Young Women's Full Participation in Decision-Making – Recap

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Statement on the Recommendations from the Commission on the Status of Women