Justice at Work for Lone-Mothers in BC is a 29-month project funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada that will support a feminist response and recovery from the current impacts of COVID-19, through systemic change. The Single Mothers’ Alliance will achieve this by carrying out lone-mother led participatory action research; building partnerships, networks and alliances with stakeholders in urban centers and rural and remote areas in northern British Columbia; developing and implementing action and advocacy plans; and mobilizing knowledge gathered in the project through lone-mothers’ summits, academic conferences, and policy dialogues. The project will raise awareness and impact pandemic-recovery policy development with government, unions, and other stakeholders that advances gender equality and ends poverty for lone-mothers and women in BC.

At the end of the project, the organization will have contributed to addressing systemic barriers by advancing inclusive policies and practices, increasing networks and collaboration to accelerate systemic change, supporting positive distribution of authority, voices, and decision-making power to support women’s equality.

The project will result in research and program design led by lone-mothers themselves with lived experience to assess the expansion of the BC’s Single Parent’s Employment Initiative, Employment Standards Act and welfare policy legislative reforms. Key partners such as the University of British Columbia,  UNITE HERE! Local 40, and the Worker Solidarity Network will assist with research and outreach engaging impacted Black, racialized, and Indigenous lone-mothers, other lone-caregivers and women workers in BC through all phases of the project.

SMA acknowledges the support of Women and Gender Equality Canada.