On Monday, Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park) and Selina Young, Director of the Indigenous Affairs Office and co-champions of the City of Toronto’s Women4Climate Mentorship Program, launched the call for applications for the City’s 2024 mentorship program. Applications will be accepted until Monday, November 20.
Through Women4ClimateTO, the City offers a combination of mentoring, networking and collaborative learning opportunities to help local women take their climate-related initiatives or start-up businesses to the next level. Over a period of six months, mentors from the business and public sectors, international organizations and social agencies will share their knowledge and skills with the mentees.
Up to 12 women will be selected to join the 2024 cohort. Following the formal mentorship program, the City and program partners will host a pitch competition to identify and recognize the three best initiatives with additional support and cash awards totalling $30,000.
Applicants 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.
Participants’ projects must support the goals of the City’s TransformTO Climate Action Strategy and/or Resilience Strategy. Toronto City Council has 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.
More information about Women4ClimateTO, including previous mentees and their projects, is available on the City’s Live Green Toronto website: 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 emergency escalates, it’s important for cities to encourage the ideas and projects of female leaders. Women4ClimateTO helps empower women and ensure their ideas are instrumental in creating a healthier, more prosperous and resilient Toronto.”
– Mayor Olivia Chow
“Since Women4ClimateTO began in 2020, it has been wonderful to see the variety of various projects, the dedicated participants, and the commitment to climate action in Toronto. I look forward to welcoming the 2024 Women4ClimateTO participants and continuing to collaborate on reaching Toronto’s net zero by 2040 target.”
– Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park) and Co-champion of Women4ClimateTO
“Women are incredible stewards of the land, water protectors, natural problem solvers and entrepreneurs. Women4ClimateTO helps direct their influence and deep commitment to environmental protection towards meaningful climate action.”
– Selina Young, Director, Indigenous Affairs Office, City of Toronto and Co-champion of Women4ClimateTO
SOURCE City of Toronto
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