We have almost doubled the amount of funding provided through Status of Women Canada since coming to government. We provide direct funding for local community projects. What I'm told by individuals across the country—and I can confidently say I meet literally hundreds of Canadians every week—is that they are delighted that our investments are in local community projects that are having a meaningful impact in their communities.
Overall, Status of Women Canada has funded over 720 projects in the last seven years and across the country has created an outstanding fabric of local community involvement that provides great opportunities but addresses local needs. We know the Canadian growing up and being impacted by an issue in downtown Vancouver is exceptionally different from that individual who may be in your hometown of Churchill or who may be on the Atlantic Canadian coast.
These local community projects—which are what we were asked to do and how we were asked to develop this program just after we became government—are exactly what we're implementing. I can tell you that they're developing results, whether those are an increase in the number of women entering the skilled professional trades or the meaningful impact we're having on campuses in Vancouver because of our initiative addressing violence against women and girls. These projects are having a meaningful impact.
I would tell them to look at the program and apply to the program. We are always open to new and exciting ideas that address one of the three core project areas at Status of Women Canada. We would encourage as many Canadians as possible to apply, to let us help them, and to work on what that community project is, so we can address the needs in their local community.