Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland rolled out a “feminist budget” in April, with day-of analysis focused on the headline commitment to a Canada-wide childcare program. The gender lens has continued to be pressed by the Liberals since, as part of their proportional response to the pandemic.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Minister Mélanie Joly promoted the budget to a public forum of more than 30 Atlantic Canadian women in business on May 6. The session also included an announcement of more than $5.8 million being dispersed to nine organizations, supporting projects to help women entrepreneurs.

“Budget 2021 is a feminist budget that will help women entrepreneurs overcome obstacles that have been intensified by COVID-19. Our government is committed to ensuring they have the resources they need to grow their businesses and successfully rebound from the devastating effects of the pandemic,” Joly said in a statement, following the session.

The money will flow from several ACOA funds, including the Regional Economic Growth Through Innovation program and Regional Relief and Recovery Fund.

Recipients include the Centre for Women In Business in Halifax, accepting roughly $1.5 million to help cover operational funding from 2020 to 2023. A further $459,000 has been committed to COVID-19 advisory services in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and $500,000 for a combination of advisory support and financial aid programming, including the Women in Business Implementation Fund.

Apart from the organizational cash, Joly mentioned multi-year budget commitments for women entrepreneurs throughout Canada. “Multi-year” is the key there, given the anticipated election call this year.

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Budget 2021: Multi-year commitments

$30 billion over five years 
Early learning child care system

$145 million over four years 
For financing, mentorship and training to entrepreneurs (under the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy)

$470 million over three years 
To establish an Apprenticeship Service (Doubling employer incentives for select apprenticeships)

$172 million over five years 
For Statistics Canada projects to better identify gender-specific barriers and outcomes on spending