BRACEBRIDGE, ON – Women make up over half of the population of Muskoka, yet only represent 30 percent of council positions and the district wants to change that.
The District Municipality of Muskoka was one of 20 recipients across Canada of a $5,000 grant through the Towards Parity in Municipal Politics project.
The YWCA Muskoka is partnering with the municipality to put the funds towards preparing local women as they work on running for municipal government in 2022. The Towards Parity project is sponsored by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Department for Women and Gender Equality.
According to the district, there are 52 total council positions in Muskoka, which include chairs and mayors. Only 16 of those positions are currently filled by women, or 30 percent, which leaves a gap in representation considering Muskoka’s population is 51 percent female.
John Klinck, chair of the District of Muskoka, said the experiences of women are critical to the sustainable development and well-being of the communities in the district.
“Especially when locally-delivered, provincially-funded services like employment supports, social assistance, childcare fee subsidy, education and health are under pressure to privatize, downsize, develop new operational models or amalgamate into larger catchment areas,” Klinck said.
The one-day Election School will take place next spring and include three follow-up booster sessions. The goal is to remove barriers for women and encourage them to fully participate in local governments.
“This project is particularly important as the perspectives and experiences of women need to be seen and heard in rural communities like Muskoka, and in local municipal government in general,” Hannah Lin, Executive Director of YWCA Muskoka, said. “If decision-makers are predominantly men, Muskoka will continue to reflect the values, cultural perspectives, unconscious biases and priorities which benefits their interests’ above other more marginalized populations.”
Anyone interested in getting involved with the project can contact the YWCA via the organization’s website.
The YWCA Muskoka is an organization with a goal to create a future where all women and girls thrive through education, leadership and advocacy.