Women’s Economic Security Program in Canada

Deadline: 26 January 2024

Apply for the Women’s Economic Security Program (WESP) to promote women’s economic security by increasing income and labour force participation for low-income women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals who identify as women in Ontario through training delivery.

The program aims to provide training that is based on community-identified needs and address labour market gaps in sectors where women have historically been underrepresented such as the skilled trades, information technology and entrepreneurship.

The program includes mandatory program supports and services to help remove socio-economic barriers that women may face participating in and completing the training programs.

Priority Client Profiles

OWSEO supports projects that provide opportunities for low-income women in priority populations including:
- Indigenous women;
- Newcomer, immigrant and refugee women;
- Black and racialized women;
- Women with disabilities;
- Francophone women;
- 2SLGBTTQQIA+ individuals who self-identify as women;
- Women who have experienced or at-risk of domestic violence, gender based violence, sexual violence/harassment;
- Women aged 55+.

Program Streams

Stream 1: Women in Skilled Trades Stream
- Training Organizations
  - The applicant or training delivery agency must be registered with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) and hold a Registered Training Agreement with the same Ministry for the trade in which they are providing the pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship training.
- Skilled Trades Training
  - Funded applicants must ensure that training includes the following:
  - Focus on one principal trade and one or more related secondary trades.
  - Include a work placement for a minimum of 8 weeks to a maximum of 12 weeks according to the MLITSD Apprenticeship Training Standard or Schedule of Training.
  - Multiple trade exposure through work placement(s) and/or other methods (e.g., job shadowing, mentoring, etc.).
  - Training must not exceed 52 weeks (260 days in duration).
Stream 2: Women in Information Technology (IT) Stream
- Training Organizations
  - The training applicant must be a training delivery agency registered with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) and hold a Registered Training Agreement with the same Ministry for the IT training they are providing.
- Information Technology Training
  - Programs must include training and certification towards an industry- recognized certificate for IT related jobs. Participants must take part in exam preparation and take industry-recognized certification exams before completion of the program.
  - Programs must include a work placement for a minimum of 8 weeks to a maximum of 12 weeks where participants are provided with relevant and applicable work experience in the IT area in which they received training.
Stream 3: General Women’s Employment Training Stream
- Funded applicants will provide employment training in sectors and fields that are up to a maximum of 12 months in length.
- Training programs that offer stacked or bundled microcredentials are eligible under this stream.
- Programs must include a work placement at a minimum of 8 weeks to a maximum of 12 weeks where participants are provided with relevant and applicable work experience in the training they received.
Stream 4: Entrepreneurship for Women’s Self-Employment
- Funded applicants must ensure training includes, but is not limited to, the following components:
  - Small or micro-business plan development,
  - Financial literacy/budgeting/accounting,
  - Product/service development,
  - Customer acquisition/marketing/promotion, and
  - Tax, legal, government regulations and insurance guidance
- Mentorship
  - Mentors should be able to share their knowledge and experiences in areas including:
    - General sector information,
    - Networking,
    - Business promotion and strategies for growth,
    - Trouble shooting, and
    - Goal setting.

Funding Information

Applicants may apply for funding from $100,000 to $450,000 per fiscal year.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants eligible to apply to this program include broader public sector organizations, publicly funded post-secondary institutions, not-for-profit organizations and Indigenous organizations based in Ontario. Applicants must be legal entities and meet the following criteria:
- Be Ontario-based entities in existence since January 1, 2020, or before, including those that are established by or under legislation; are federally or provincially incorporated; or are band councils as defined under the Indian Act, Canada;
- Have an elected governing Board of Directors or equivalent;
- Demonstrate financial stability for the duration of the funding period as shown through externally audited financial statements, established financial policies and procedures;
- Satisfy the Ministry that it has relevant, accurate, and timely financial reporting and audited financial statements.
All program participants must:
- Be at least 16 years old,
- Be a resident of and able to work in Ontario.