Question Period Note: Gendered Impacts of COVID-19

How is the Government of Canada addressing the gendered impacts of COVID-19?

• The Government of Canada is committed to addressing the gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, as we know that different populations, particularly women, have been disproportionately affected.
• To respond, the Government is:
o Investing $601.3 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to advance a new National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence;
o Ensuring that response measures are informed by Gender-based Analysis Plus;
o Creating a feminist, intersectional Action Plan for Women in the Economy to help more women get back into the workforce and ensure a feminist response to this pandemic;
o Investing $30 billion to establish a Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care System to drive economic growth and increase women’s participation in the workforce; and
o Investing $146.9 million to strengthen the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy to increase access to financing, mentorship, and training.
• These investments will help reverse the ‘she-cession’ and remove barriers to women's full participation in economic recovery.

Gendered Impacts on Employment
• Women are overrepresented in industries shut down in response to COVID-19.
o When lockdowns began, core-aged women experienced the greatest job losses. By March 2021, their employment was 1.3% lower than pre-COVID levels, compared to 0.9% for men.
• Women’s economic participation has been impacted by disproportionate childcare and domestic responsibilities.
• Women are overrepresented in essential occupations (e.g. nursing), facing greater exposure to the virus.
• To address women’s economic vulnerabilities, the Government:
o Created the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB);
o Transitioned to a temporarily revised Employment Insurance program;
o Instituted the Canada Recovery, Canada Recovery Sickness, and Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefits; and,
o Boosted Canada Child Benefit payments.
• In Budget 2021, the Government proposes several further initiatives:
o $30B for a national Early Learning and Child Care System;
o $146.9M to the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy; and,
o $15M for a LGBTQ2 Projects Fund to support community-led initiatives.

Gender-Based Violence
• Many GBV organizations report increased demand since the beginning of the pandemic. Others report the opposite, raising concerns that those experiencing violence cannot access help.
• The Government has moved swiftly to ensure those facing gender-based violence have a safe place to turn, and is delivering $100M to organizations providing critical supports and services to women and children experiencing violence.
• Reinforcing the Government’s commitment to end gender-based violence, Budget 2021 invests $601.3 million over five years to advance the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
• This new funding complements existing efforts under the Federal GBV Strategy, through which six federal departments and agencies (Women And Gender Equality Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Public Safety, Justice Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) received funding for specific initiatives
• Of the $601.3M, the following will be provided to WAGE:
o $200M over 2 years to support GBV organizations.
o $105M over 5 years to enhance the GBV program, for initiatives to engage men & boys, stop human trafficking, support at-risk populations and survivors, and provide support for testing and implementing best-practices.
o $14M over 5 years for a dedicated secretariat to coordinate ongoing work towards the development & implementation of the GBV National Action Plan.
o $11M over 5 years for GBV research and knowledge mobilization.
o $55M over 5 years to bolster the capacity of Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ organizations to provide gender-based violence prevention programming aimed at addressing the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+people.
o $30M over 5 years so crisis hotlines can serve the urgent needs of more Canadians to prevent the escalation of GBV.

Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being
• Pre-existing economic insecurities were exacerbated by COVID-19.
• To support impoverished and at-risk communities, the Government:
o Launched the Surplus Food Rescue Program;
o Provided $394M to the Reaching Home initiative; and,
o Created the $1.1B Indigenous Community Support fund.
• In Budget 2021, the Government proposes:
o $45M to organizations that improve sexual and reproductive health care information and service accessibility;
o Investing $6.9B to expand the Canada Workers Benefit;
o $567M to the Reaching Home Initiative;
o $1.5B to the Rapid Housing Initiative, with 25% of funding for women-focused housing projects;
o $100M to support mental health intervention projects for populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19; and,
o $760.8M to the Indigenous Community Support Fund.

None