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Our mission

Help women

The Foundation’s mission is to support and encourage the professional development and financial independence of women by providing them with the means to realize their full potential.

The Lise Watier Foundation’s vision is for all women to fulfill their potential and contribute to our economy, creating a richer, more equitable society.

Our purpose

The social challenge: the lack of financial independence among local women

Socioeconomic portrait of women in Canada

42%

of working women earn less than $30,000 per year.¹

74%

of women worry about not having enough income in retirement.²

80%

is the difference in favor of men in terms of accumulated
wealth at the time of
retirement among
unmarried couples.³

82,3%

In Quebec, women earn the equivalent of 82.3% of men’s salaries each week, across all professions.⁴

6 times

Mothers are 6 times more likely to leave their job than fathers if they do not have access to childcare services in Quebec.⁵

Sources

¹ Statistics Canada (2023). Table 11-10-0240-01  Distribution of employment income of individuals by sex and work activity, Canada, provinces and selected census metropolitan areas
² Chambre de la sécurité financière (2024). Retirement savings planning: women still struggling to close the gap with men in Quebec
³ INRS (2022). Enquête inédite : première étude québécoise sur les inégalités de patrimoine hommes-femmes
⁴ Institut de la statistique du Québec (2022). Écart de rémunération entre les femmes et les hommes : comment la situation a-t-elle évolué depuis 1998 ?
⁵ Conseil du statut de la femme (2022). L’accès au service de garde : un impératif pour les femmes du Québec

It says a lot about women’s financial independence!

The values of the Foundation

The following values are at the heart of all our reflections and actions…

Respect
Compassionate and non-judgmental acknowledgement and appreciation of each woman’s unique value and potential
Commitment
A commitment to wholeheartedly and generously investing in, and contributing to, both individual and collective well-being
Collaboration
Mutual support, teamwork and pooling of strengths and experiences so that together, we have an impact and make a difference.

MARIE-ÈVE

Graduate of the Entrepreneurship Program

The Lise Watier Foundation offers the Let’s Start Up Pathway in Montreal, Quebec City, the Laurentians, Montérégie, Sherbrooke, Drummondville and Toronto. More than 350 women a year are committed to taking action through the Let’s Start Up Pathway. They graduate with a better understanding of their strengths and skills, as well as the knowledge and tools to implement their professional project. Women thus begin a new journey towards financial independence through entrepreneurship, a return to school or a more fulfilling job.

Major donors

See all our donors