Today, the City of Toronto opened applications for the 2023 Women4ClimateTO Mentorship Program. The annual program supports and empowers Toronto’s female climate leaders.
Through Women4ClimateTO, the City offers mentoring, networking and collaborative learning opportunities to help local women take their climate-related initiative or start-up business to the next level. Over a six-month period, mentors from the business sector, public sector, international organizations and social agencies will share their knowledge and skills with the mentees.
Ten to 12 women will be selected to join Toronto’s 2023 Women4ClimateTO cohort. Participants’ projects must support the goals of the City’s TransformTO Climate Action Strategy and/or Resilience Strategy. In December 2021, Toronto City Council set a target to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2040. Toronto’s target is one of the most ambitious in North America.
The #CityofTO Women4ClimateTO Mentorship Program offers mentoring, training & networking opportunities to help women advance their climate-related project or start-up. Apply today. https://t.co/T7hYT3ilmy #W4CTO #TransformTO #ClimateCrisis pic.twitter.com/in6WLrvvkQ
— Live Green Toronto (@LiveGreenTO) November 9, 2022
Following the formal mentorship program, the City and program partners will host a pitch competition to identify the three best initiatives and recognize them with additional support and cash awards totalling $30,000.
Participants must identify as women, be 18 years of age or older, live, study or work in Toronto and have an established climate action project or start-up business that they wish to advance with the support of the program. The City welcomes applications from women of diverse backgrounds. Women with disabilities, as well as those who are Indigenous, Black and from other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply.
Since its inception in 2020, the Women4ClimateTO has supported 26 mentees. Toronto is one of three Canadian cities participating in C40’s global Women4Climate Mentorship Program.
Applications will be accepted until Tuesday, December 6. More information about Women4ClimateTO, including previous mentees and their projects, is available at www.toronto.ca/livegreen.
More information about the City’s TransformTO climate action strategy is available on the City’s TransformTO webpage: www.toronto.ca/services-paymen
More information about the City’s Resilience Strategy is available on the Resilience Strategy webpage: www.toronto.ca/services-paymen
Quotes:
“As the climate crisis grows more urgent, it’s important for cities to encourage the ideas and projects of female leaders and entrepreneurs. Women4ClimateTO helps empower women and ensure that their ideas are instrumental in creating a more healthy, prosperous and resilient Toronto.”
– Mayor John Tory
“The City of Toronto has an ambitious plan to be net zero by 2040 and we need a diversity of people, projects and ideas to help get us there. Women4ClimateTO encourages the growth and development of female-led ideas and businesses that will support us in reaching our climate goals.”
– Councillor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park) and Co-champion Women4ClimateTO
“Each year, through Women4ClimateTO, we empower more women in Toronto to become agents of change. Women and their ideas must feature prominently in the global fight against climate change.”
– Heather Taylor, Chief Financial Officer, City of Toronto and Co-champion Women4ClimateTO
SOURCE City of Toronto
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