What is CED?

Community Economic Development (CED) is local economic development that is focuses on people, employment, self-employment, inclusion and sustainability. Its goal is to provide meaningful work for all, at a level of income that provides a secure livelihood, in jobs that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.

Why Women-Centred CED?

Women’s life experiences, concerns, responsibilities and needs are different from those of men due to their respective roles in society, the family and the business world. Mainstream organizations, including mainstream CED organizations, often do not meet women’s needs.

Women-centred CED adapts the CED framework to accomplish changes for women. It starts with women’s lives and challenges deeper and more systemic elements of economic and social equality in a practical way, working with women at the grass roots level and building a foundation to increase women’s economic security and independence. It is built on a foundation of empowerment, uses inclusive models and offers a holistic, long term approach to development.

It includes (but is not limited to):

• Addressing basic needs
• Education, Training and Skills development
• Addressing basic needs
• Co-operatives
• Small business development supports
• Social Purpose Enterprises
• Micro Lending

Why Women?

In Canada, 2.7 million women live in poverty. Women’s ability to successfully engage in the economy is limited by lack of access to:

• quality child care / elder care
• information & resources
• transportation alternatives
• networking & support
• funding or credit
• training & education
• housing

Women are much more likely to be involved in non-standard work, outside the protections and benefits of mainstream employment.

Which Women?

The Council aims to represent women who can benefit from CED as a means to break the cycle of poverty and create possibilities for women to improve their situation.

These women include:

• Women who are exploited in their work – unpaid and underpaid
• Women who have experienced domestic violence
• Women with disabilities
• Women experiencing or at risk of homelessness
• Displaced working women
• Women living on low incomes
• Women in or at risk of persistent poverty
• Aboriginal women
• Immigrant and refugee women
• Visible Minority women
• Women who experience mental illness as a barrier to work

The realities of intersecting oppressions mean that many women in our national community experience complex and multi-faceted economic, social and political exclusion. The Council respects and supports the many routes women take to overcome multiple oppressions, and we stand in solidarity with all women as we work toward women’s equity, equality and economic security.