Media Release: CanWCC Launches Strategy that puts Canada’s One Million Self-Employed Women at the Centre of Economic Power

Press Release

TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2026 Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CanWCC) is making a clear and decisive move: putting Canada’s self-employed women and gender-diverse individuals where they belong – at the center of economic policy, advocacy, and influence.

There are one million self-employed women in Canada. One in four or 250,000 of them are racialized, 54,000 are Indigenous; 180,000 live in rural areas. They are personal support workers, artists, cleaners, bookkeepers, tech workers, hair stylists, tradespeople, graphic designers and healthcare workers.

They fuel local economies, create flexible work, and sustain families and communities–yet they remain largely invisible in economic policy, funding programs, and public discourse.

CanWCC exists to change that.

Today, CanWCC announces the launch of a three-year national advocacy and support strategy designed specifically for self-employed women and gender-diverse individuals, a segment of Canada’s economy that is among the most overlooked and underserved. This strategy will drive recognition, data, policy frameworks, and support structures where none have existed before.

“Canada’s economic systems were not built with self-employed women in mind,” said Nancy Wilson, CanWCC’s Founder & CEO. “We are done trying to fit into models that don’t work. This strategy is about building something new–and demanding that governments, institutions, and decision-makers catch up.”

Over 80% of CanWCC’s members are self-employed. These members face persistent and systemic challenges, including:

• Lack of recognition and policy support:  Most policies and supports are designed for small businesses with employees, leaving the self-employed ineligible for programs, without employment protections, and rarely included in government consultations.
• Lack of a safety net: Without employer benefits, paid leave, or stable income, self-employed individuals face increased risk from supply shocks and economic volatility.
• Wider pay gap: The gender pay gap is wider among the self-employed than in traditional employment. Self-employed women are paid 72 cents per dollar compared to self-employed men. Women who have employers make 87 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts.

CanWCC fills a critical gap by championing those who have been excluded from traditional chambers and economic institutions. Through targeted advocacy, community, connection to resources, and systems change, CanWCC is working to ensure self-employed women are no longer treated as an afterthought by recognized as a powerful economic force.

If you would like to learn more, visit economicequity.ca.

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