The Power of Canadian Women
Being a woman-led and owned business, we here at Grant Precise know how talented women and girls are. This year, we are not only celebrating the social, cultural, political and STEM achievements of women but highlighting their success in economic development across Canada. In the early 1950s, only about one-quarter of women participated in the Canadian labour force, but 75% of women were working by the 1990s. Today, half the Canadian workforce is made up of women. With Canada’s 2023 theme for International Women’s Day of #everywomancounts, here are some incredible Canadian women who have contributed to enhancing Canada’s STEM, political, and economic spheres.
STEM:
Dr. Roberta Bondar, MD, PhD
The first Canadian female astronaut while previously being a respected neurologist, medical researcher and educator.
Sylvia Olga Fedoruk, MA
A Ukrainian-Canadian medical physicist who helped advance cancer diagnosis and treatment by developing the first cobalt radiation therapy unit to irradiate tumours.
Dr. Ojistoh Kahnawahere Horn, MD
Dr. Kahnawahere Horn is a Mohawk/Haudenosaunee woman who works as a family physician in the Kahnawake and Akwesasne communities providing primary care to Indigenous peoples.
Politics:
Jean Augustine, MEd
Grenada-born Canadian politician, Jean Augustine made history as the first Black Woman
elected to Canada’s Parliament, serving from 1993-2006.
Women in Business:
Karina Hayat
President and co-founder of Prizm Media, Karina Hayat started the Vancouver-based digital
media and technology company to connect patients with needed healthcare services and
products.
Isabelle Hudson
Isabelle Hudson is a successful businesswoman, serving as the CEO of Sunlife Financial Canada and the cofounder in 2015 of L’effet A, an initiative devoted to women’s professional advancement.
To continue to grow the success of women, especially in the economic sphere, we are also highlighting opportunities for women to start, grow, and expand their businesses or non-profits.
PARO Centre
The PARO program has three pillars that work together to provide a solid foundation for business growth in a changing economy through Growing Women's Companies, Accessing New Growth Opportunities and Expanding Access to Export Markets. They have given over 10 million dollars in grants and supported over 26,000 businesses. Learn more at: https://paro.ca/
WEOC National Loan Program – Up to $50,000
Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada is offering a National Loan Program, which will support women and non-binary entrepreneurs as they start, scale, grow and maintain their businesses. Learn more at: https://weoc.ca/loan-program/
The Canadian government
also offers funding opportunities such as WES Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative – a 3-year non-repayable contribution program totalling $15 million that seeks to strengthen and build a more inclusive venture capital environment for Canadian women started in 2022. Read more at: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/women-entrepreneurship-strategy/en