January 29, 2025—Mentor Canada and Mentorat Québec are developing a new mentoring initiative to address employment barriers faced by women and gender-diverse people across Canada.  Entitled “Mentor Me Equal: Inclusive mentorship for systemic change,” the project will produce a bilingual toolkit that employers, professional associations, unions, and other organizations can use to create an inclusive mentorship program that tackles systemic barriers faced by women and 2SLGBTQIA+ people across Canada, especially in male-dominated sectors.

“This marks an important milestone for the future of mentoring in Canada,” said Marie-Ève Roberge, president of Mentorat Québec. “‘Mentore-moi d’égal à égal’ will propel inclusion and equity across the country by leveraging expertise that Mentorat Québec has been deploying in Quebec over more than 20 years. So many organizations are looking for step-by-step guidance to craft their own mentorship program: this project brings them that guidance.” 

Mentor Canada and Mentorat Québec will consult stakeholders from all over the country to widen the toolkit’s intersectional lens and take into account the challenges faced by different equity-deserving groups, including women and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Once complete, the toolkit—an online, self-paced curriculum that will be available in both French and English–will guide organizations to design a mentorship program that transforms organizational norms and promotes meaningful inclusion. Training and resources will sensitize mentors to the systemic barriers faced by women and people of diverse genders, encouraging mentors to become agents of change. And mentees will be equipped to make the most of their mentoring experience.

According to Tracy Luca-Huger, executive director of Mentor Canada, “By joining forces, Mentor Canada and Mentorat Québec will address a persistent mentoring gap in Canada. ‘Mentor Me Equal’ will teach organizations how to use mentoring to promote inclusion, progression, and leadership opportunities for women, especially in male-dominated industries. ‘Mentor Me Equal” will be an important means of reducing barriers and increasing support for equity-deserving people in their place of work.” 

Marie-Ève Roberge stated, “Done right, mentoring is a powerful  tool for ensuring that women and gender-diverse people access the economic security and equity they deserve.” Added Tracy Luca-Huger, “We are incredibly grateful to Women and Gender Equality Canada for their unwavering support in mentoring women and gender-diverse people across our country.” 

The project is funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada. 

For more information:

Get in touch with Mentor Canada

Get in touch with Mentorat Québec