Province addresses COVID-19 economic recovery for Alberta women
The pandemic has brought a number of long lasting impacts on Albertans, and when it comes to economic challenges, women are feeling the loss.
According to an RBC study, over 500,000 women lost their jobs when the pandemic began, with more than 200,000not looking to return to work.
Mother Kristin Rodier says she struggled to balance childcare and work full time during the pandemic, until she eventually burned out and lost her job.
"The toll on all of our mental health and exhaustion with being home all the time isolated, taking care of kids at home all the time is exhausting," said Rodier.
Rodier is not alone. Statistics Canada revealed 64 per cent of women reported that they have taken on homeschooling or helping children with homework at some point during the pandemic, compared to 19 per cent of Canadian men.
And while challenges in caregiving, risk of domestic and sexual violence, and ecomomic inequality have been a burden to women for decades, provincial officials say the pandemic has highlighted those issues.
They say they're committed to finding a solution by working with Alberta’s nonprofit sector, as recommended by a new report from the Premier’s Council on Charities and Civil Society.
"This report has been really important in terms of how the genesis of it has been from the point of civil society," said Whitney Issik, Associate Minister of Status of Women.
Between July and October 2021, the council worked with nonprofits, Indigenous Elders, and Alberta women to learn what is needed in their recovery from the pandemic.
The report provides recommendations to the province including an increased investment in affordable childcare and long term funding for non-profit organizations that aim to support women.
"The real difference here is that rather than (the) government stating, 'There are the goals from the top down,' this is actually civil society, and women telling the rest of society and government what the goals ought to be based on lived experience," Issik said.
Senior researcher with Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Katherine Scott is hopeful the province will consider putting the council’s recommendations to action but believes there are missing pieces.
"How are we supporting newcomers and new immigrant women getting established in the labour force? Do they have access to community support? Those sort of things aren’t spoken here," said Scott.
The report is also missing a timeline or clear action plan. Despite that, Scott says involving those at the centre of gender-based challenges is a good start.
"It’s fantastic there was engagement," said Scott. "We have to centre the voices of those who are most impacted (and) those who are most marginalized if we ever have a hope of changing up the way we do things."
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Parliamentary report on Emergencies Act decision is 18 months past due — and counting
The erstwhile group of senators and MPs studying the federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act over the "Freedom Convoy" was supposed to present its findings in December. December of 2022, that is.
Drone footage shows Ukrainian village battered to ruins as residents flee Russian advance
The Ukrainian village of Ocheretyne has been battered by fighting, drone footage obtained by The Associated Press shows. The village has been a target for Russian forces in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Egypt media cite progress in truce talks as Israel downplays chances of end to war with Hamas
A delegation of the Palestinian militant group Hamas was in Cairo on Saturday as Egyptian state media reported "noticeable progress" in ongoing cease-fire talks with Israel while an Israeli official downplayed the prospects for a full end to the war.
Bystander livestreams during Charlotte standoff show an ever-growing appetite for social media video
Saing Chhoeun was locked out of his Charlotte, N.C., home on Monday as law enforcement with high-powered rifles descended into his yard and garage, using a car as a shield as they were met with a shower of gunfire from the direction of his neighbor's house.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.