Your browser is not supported

Your browser is too old. To use this website, please use Chrome or Firefox.

Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce

Hackathon Report: Women in Niagara Council

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on women’s employment and women’s business across the country – including here in Niagara. Many policy experts and researchers have focused on this problem and it is encouraging that businesses, governments and communities are thinking about a feminist economic recovery – that will benefit everyone.

In June 2021, WIN Council hosted a hackathon to focus on solutions and get women back towork, school, and leadership here in Niagara. We started with a look at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce She-Covery strategy which critical findings include recommendations for leadership and accountability, safe andaffordable child care, workforce development, flexible work and entrepreneurship.

This brief lays out a path to Ontario’s “she-covery” in Niagara by examining data on thegendered labour market impacts of the pandemic and offering policy solutions to confront both immediate and longer-term challenges. Throughout this, an intersectional lens is essential toensure no women are left behind.

Leadership and Accountability

  • All around support – support inclusivity and diversity, support women going into politics and moving up, across sectors
  • Support for women and gender diverse folks to join municipal committees and have a voice in local policy and decision-making
  • Encourage municipalities to adopt equity and inclusion policies for committees and community engagement
  • Advocate for anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies everywhere: at work, at school
  • Foster intentional and organic collaboration in all levels of business, not for profit, and community work
  • Highlight women-owned and operated businesses

Safe and Affordable Childcare

  • Many women in Niagara continue working part-time because they cannot afford full-time childcare. With childcare, we can movewomen from part-time to full time employment
  • Make sure Early Childhood Educators are paid a living wage
  • Advocate for fully-funded childcare, as opposed to a tax credit model
  • An expanded model of flexible childcare for those working non-traditional hours
  • Support the identification and development of proper infrastructure to accommodate the demand for safe, affordable, qualitychildcare that is accessible by public transit

Workforce Development and Flexible Work

  • Develop policies and advocate for flexible work hours, practices in Niagara workplaces
  • Advocacy and sponsorship – sponsor women and gender diverse folks in your workforce. See more below. 
  • What did we learn during the pandemic that can continue to support women at work? Things like remote work options arehugely beneficial to women and caregivers 
  • Support employers with resources
  • Adopt flexible work policies and schedules 
  • Support nontraditional forms of mentorship like lateral mentorship and peer mentorship 
  • Engage with Brock University and Niagara College 
  • Engage with employment agencies
  • Education – Access to microcredentials and trades programs for women and girls and gender diverse people. Encourage morewomen to get engaged
  • Engage more women and girls to get into non-traditional sectors like trades. Start young and get parents and guardians onboard

Entrepreneurship

  • There is lack of support for solopreneurs and self-employed people. Improve access to grants like the Canada Ontario jobgrants. 
  • Creative incentives and programs to support people living with (dis)abilities to start their own business
  • Niagara needs centralized resources. Have a master checklist for what to do when starting your business or supports as yougrow your business
  • Advocate for local programming that will support women-led/owned businesses
  • Connect with other women’s groups and share resources and best practices to provide mentorship and resources for womenentrepreneurs

What’s Next?

What WIN will do: 

  • WIN Council is committed to supporting women’s business and success in Niagara 
  • WIN will look for opportunities to expand and grow the WIN/WIN Peer Mentorship Program 
  • Advocate: We’ll continue to share this report and the ideas from the community with elected officials and community leaders 
  • Continue the conversation 
  • Use this report to help inform WIN’s strategic plan moving forward 
  • Work with you to get it done! 

What YOU can do to support women’s economic recovery: 

  • Share this report and the OCC She-covery strategy with your networks: your employer, your coworkers, your community 
  • Sponsor or mentor a woman 
  • Take the initiative! If there are actions in this plan that you can do, let’s get to work 
  • Reach out to WIN and other women and allies in your network – we have to work together 
  • Support women’s business in Niagara 
  • Advocate. Here are some ways how: 
    • Have your voice heard — reach out to elected officials and policymakers in your community. Click here for a list of Niagara’s elected municipal, provincial and federal officers. 
    • Join a committee — there are options at municipal and regional levels 
    • Volunteer for a political party or a politician 
    • Vote to shape policy platforms directly by joining a party 
    • Organize a petition 
    • Participate in townhall forums 

This is just the beginning. Reach out to WIN Council and women in Niagara to continue building on these ideas. We’re here to work with you – because we know that a stronger, more equitable Niagara will benefit everyone. 

Download the report

@GNCC_WIN | @womeninniagara | @womeninniagara

Women in Niagara
Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
80 King St., Suite 3, St. Catharines, ON L2R 7G1
Staff Liaison: Corrina Massicotte
corrina@gncc.ca I 905-684-23621 ext. 225

Share this:

Categorized in: WIN