On September 23rd, The Ontario Chamber of Commerce led a virtual panel discussion with Claudia Dessanti, Dr. Wendy Cukier, Minister Stephen Lecce and Minister Jill Dunlop. Treehouse Medical took part in this discussion in order to find ways on how to continue supporting women in tech and building a strong economy in healthtech and femtech.
The findings found that women have been hit 2x harder economically by the COVID-19 pandemic compared to men. This is because women are more likely to work in face-to-face industries, such as retail and hospitality. As the Ontario economy reopens, it is essential that women are at the centre of it. The She-Covery Project, an initiative led by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, offers a five step plan to include and support women as Ontario reopens.
At Treehouse Medical, we stand committed to advancing:
As Ontario’s economy reopens, the first step to female empowerment is leadership and accountability. Women need to be a part of the decision making process at the municipal, provincial and federal level. The provincial government in an effort to create more diversity and gender inclusivity in the workplace, has decided to reward businesses by procurement that include women in the decision making process and in leadership roles. 64% of all management roles are filled by men in Ontario. That means only 36% of these roles are filled by women.
In an effort to re-develop the workforce to include more women, several initiatives have come to be. nPower Canada partners with disadvantaged youth and employers to train and provide relevant work experience. Over 50% of these youth are women. The goal of this initiative is to transition youth into technology related roles, and has a placement rate of over 80%.
Canadians learning code is another initiative that provides girls, women and teachers with practical knowledge about technology, and helps them build the self-esteem required to use this knowledge on a day-to-day basis.
The Canadian Centre for Women in Science, Engineering, Trades and Technology offers workshops for women employers, students and business professionals to encourage women to work in the SETT (Science, Engineering, Trades and Technology) field.
Technology in Canada is a profitable and rapidly growing sector. The technology sector has grown twice as fast in the last decade compared to the rest of the economy, and currently makes up 5% of Canada’s GDP.
At Treehouse Medical, our mission is to drive technology and see more women in leadership roles. Having supported many female interns with an interest in technology, health and wellness, and more, we remain committed to mentoring and building a strong economy using female-led entrepreneurship.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated existing inequality and has been especially challenging for certain groups of women, including racialized women, Indigenous women, single mothers, low-income women, immigrant women, women with disabilities, and those living in rural areas.
The long-term impacts of COVID-19 on women in the workforce remains unknown. However, with women’s labour force participation at a record low, decades of progress towards gender equality is at stake. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) strongly believes this is not only a watershed moment for women but for Ontario’s economy and society more broadly, as women’s participation in the labour market is a precondition to its fulsome economic recovery and prosperity.
For Treehouse Medical, our software solution focuses on delivering care management tools from conception to early years. Many midwives, doulas, lactation consultants and other practitioners in this field are women. Some of the providers we see in particular have had to make a lot of compromises to their business because of having to take care of their own family needs. Treehouse Medical focuses on providing technology to providers, often women-led care providers, in order to deliver better care and patient outcomes. This not only supports a more efficient model of care, but one that is proactive rather than reactive.
Treehouse Medical is actively building solutions that focus on a strong and inclusive environment. We strive to become industry leaders for women, healthcare, and technology. Interested in learning more about how you can support and join our team? Send us an email today at info@treehousemedical.ca
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