International Women’s Day

March 8 is International Women’s Day. It’s a global day to recognize and celebrate women’s and girls’ social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. It’s also a time to raise awareness of the progress made towards achieving gender equality and the work remaining to be done.

Women are no stranger to the role of primary caregivers, which is why up to one-third of working mothers have considered quitting their jobs since the onset of COVID. And the weight of leaving the workforce can be a heavy burden.

That’s why we created a mini-guide specifically designed to support the mental wellness of women who have been sidelined from the workforce, whether by pandemic business closures, caregiving, or other responsibilities.

We’ve also created a tip sheet to help employers support and welcome women returning to work after an absence.

A new report from the series of Leger polls commissioned by us and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction highlights the different impact of COVID-19-related stressors by gender and household size, and provides an update on impacts for people with pre-existing substance use disorders or mental illness.

In 2019, we announced funding of 14 community-based research projects that explore cannabis use in priority populations. One such group is pregnant individuals and parents, the focus of a unique research project based in Ontario.