The topic of encouraging more women to work in the technology and related fields is a hot one these days, as we experience a shortage of talent to fill needed jobs, and females who may be reluctant to pursue such careers. A new initiative, spearheaded by the Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, hopes to change that.

Dr. Leitch confirmed during a keynote speech at the Canadian Telecom Summit in Toronto in early June that the Canadian Government would be funding a new project aimed at increasing economic opportunities for women in both communications and technology fields.

She stated: “Our Government is demonstrating strong leadership through a balanced budget, and a low-tax plan for jobs, growth and security.”

The Plan

In total, the Information and Communications Technology Council of Canada (ICTC) will receive close to half-a-million dollars – $460,014 to be exact – for a project that will work to both help retain women in IT and communications tech careers, and advance opportunities for them. The program will focus on four main fields: construction, manufacturing, natural resources, and skilled trades.

Namir Anani, President and CEO of the ICTC, says the organization “welcomes the opportunity to partner with the Government of Canada on this project to increase retention and advancement opportunities for women in information and communication technology career, and to strengthen the role of women in Canada’s digital economy.”

As part of the program, a national advisory committee will be established, and tasked with representing these four sectors. There will also be virtual working groups, which will consist of CEOs and senior managers (both men and women) who will review human resources policies and procedures of companies in each sector. After identifying and adapting best practices and tools from leading organizations, the groups will create a virtual Women in Information and Communications Technology Information Centre.

Additionally, part of the Economic Action Plan 2015 will be a commitment to help female entrepreneurs connect with important tools, like mentorship, networking opportunities, and increased access to financing and international markets. The Plan is also proposing amendments to the Canada Business Corporations Act to help “promote gender diversity among public companies, using the ‘comply or explain’model of disclosure.” This method employs minimum standards – in this case, for the number of women in leadership positions – for which companies must comply. If they do not, they must explain publicly why this is the case. The hope is that rather than forcing companies to put more women in executive positions for the sake of reaching a quota, companies may realize on their own that there’s talent they aren’t effectively utilizing.

Other Initiatives

Earlier this year, Minister Leitch launched the It Starts with One – Be Her Champion campaign that asked leaders to become a woman’s champion or mentor.

Thus far, the Canadian Government has dedicated more than $1.76 million in funding to support six projects within the Women in Technology Projects initiative. And Status of Women Canada is funding a project with Communications and Technology (CWCT) to increase the number of women in senior executive positions and on the boards of companies in the communications, media, and technical sectors across Canada. Since 2007, the Government of Canada has invested over $162 million through Status of Women Canada in support of more than 780 community-based projects across Canada.

It seems we are seeing results, though there’s still much to be done. The Government reports that representation of women in senior management positions within the federally regulated private sector has increased more than 4% since 2001. But the representation of women employees remains 6.6% below their labour market availability, at 41.6%.

“The actions we have taken to support the participation of women in Canada’s digital economy highlight what we know – that when women succeed, Canada succeeds,” added Leitch.

About The Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch

Residing in Clearview, ON, Dr. Leitch is, in addition to her current position within the Canadian Government, a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon and an associate professor of surgery. She attended the University of Toronto, where she earned her Doctorate of Medicine, followed by an MBA from Dalhousie University. In 2005, she was named on the prestigious “Top 40 Under 40” list in Canada, recognizing her work both in medicine and business.