The Femina Collective Launches an Investment Education Course for Women with Partners PearTree Canada and Nicola Wealth

[Toronto, ON] – [March 5, 2025] – The Femina Collective, a leading organization dedicated to empowering women in the mining sector, proudly announces the launch of its Femina Investment Education Course, an 8-week program designed to introduce women to the fundamentals of investment strategies. This course is part of The Femina Collective’s ongoing mission to support women with tools, resources, and opportunities to thrive in traditionally male-dominated industries.

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Femina Collective is proud to partner with PearTrea Canada and Nicola Wealth to deliver the course.

PearTree Canada is a national investment firm specializing in flow-through investments. It is committed to empowering women to create personal wealth by focusing on the mining industry.

Nicola Wealth was founded in 1994. It has over 30 years of investment management experience and has navigated numerous market cycles, economic downturns, and geopolitical events. As of January 1, 2025, Nicola Wealth is one of Canada's largest independent (non-bank) private investment counselling firms, with approximately $17 billion of assets under management.

Beth Borody created The Femina Investment Education Course in response to delayed learning of her status as an accredited investor. Upon learning her status, Beth also uncovered that women’s wealth is exponentially growing, which aligns with the increase in retail investment. Understanding that women often search for a dedicated space to learn, Beth designed the course for women who want to start with the basics but have goals of creating a responsible mining sector and wish to become accredited investors themselves.

The Investment Education Course offers an accessible and structured approach to understanding investment concepts, financial products, risk tolerance, and portfolio diversification. The program includes:

• Comprehensive Content: The "Introduction to Investment" workbook will guide participants through eight weeks of structured learning.

• Expert Webinars: Weekly sessions featuring guest speakers from the mining and financial sectors.

• Action-Oriented Outcomes: Participants will learn how to create personalized investment plans, gaining practical knowledge to build confidence in financial decision-making.

• Exclusive Networking Opportunities: Access a community of like-minded women and industry experts.

The Femina Investment Education Course is an educational program only and does not provide investment advice. Instead, it serves as a foundational course to help participants understand the basics of investment strategies and navigate the complexities of financial planning.

Beth Borody, CEO and Founder of The Femina Collective, shared her vision for the program:

"Women’s share of Canadian wealth is rapidly growing. By 2030, women will hold and control approximately CAD 1 trillion, equating to close to 60% of the accumulated wealth in Canada. We created this course to fill a critical gap in financial education and prepare women for becoming a significant contributor to mining sector firms’ investment strategies. Without including the wealth women will have access to, Canada will be challenged to meet the energy transition needs and risk losing its status as a region of choice for exploration and production. We aim to empower participants with the knowledge and confidence to take control of their financial futures while fostering a supportive collective of women investors and significantly impacting the mining investment community."

PearTree Canada is excited to partner with The Femina Collective, saying:

“We are proud to partner with The Femina Collective to help deliver the Femina Investment Education Course. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to empowering women to create personal wealth and drive positive change in the mining sector.”

Nicola Wealth is looking forward to the collaboration, stating:

"At Nicola Wealth, we recognize that investment knowledge is a key driver of financial empowerment. As one of Canada’s leading independent wealth management firms, we equip women clients with the expertise and confidence to navigate wealth matters and investment opportunities with sophistication and strategic insight," says Jasmine Marichic, Wealth Advisor at Nicola Wealth. "The Femina Investment Education Course aligns with our mission to ensure everyone is empowered to meet their full potential. We proudly contribute our expertise to an initiative fostering financial independence and long-term wealth creation."

Registration for the Femina Investment Education Course opens on March 5, 2025. For more information, visit www.thefeminacollective.com.

About The Femina Collective

The Femina Collective is a global organization dedicated to empowering women in the mining sector through community creation and educational programs. Focusing on fostering diversity and inclusion, the Femina Collective offers a range of initiatives designed to support women at all stages of their careers and entrepreneurial journeys.

For more information, please visit: www.thefeminacollective.com

About PearTree Canada

PearTree Canada is Canada’s leading source of flow-through capital for exploration and development financing. It is the originator of the Flow-Through Share Donation Platform, which connects donors, investors and mining companies. A Canadian Securities dealer and investment fund manager, PearTree advances $500 Million annually for mineral exploration and mine development in a uniquely Canadian structure, which results in as much as $2.00 of capital deployed for every $1.00 invested by global institutions, family offices and strategic investors. Since 2007, the PearTree platform has provided exploration and development funding at premium share prices, reducing share dilution. PearTree’s platform “subsidizes” the investment cost for domestic and international market participants by capturing the value of tax deductions and credits available to initial Canadian subscribers to benefit issuers and long-term investors. PearTree’s platform has helped create jobs in rural and remote communities while supporting Canadian charities.

For more information, please visit: www.peartreecanada.com

About Nicola Wealth

Nicola Wealth is a national wealth management firm serving high-net-worth entrepreneurs, families, and institutions. With advisors in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, the firm manages over $17 billion in assets. In addition to traditional investments, Nicola Wealth portfolios include private asset classes such as real estate, private equity, private debt, and commercial mortgages, offering a broader approach to wealth management. The firm is recognized for excellence in business and workplace culture, earning distinctions as a Deloitte Best Managed Company (Platinum Member), one of Canada’s Top 100 SME Employers, BC’s Top Employers, and a 5-Star Wealth Management Firm by Wealth Professional Canada.

For more information, please visit: www.nicolawealth.com

Media inquiries:

Beth Borody

Founder & CEO

bethborody@thefeminacollective.com

Mining Is Not Too Narrow—It’s the Foundation of Our Future

The Femina Collective has launched our Investment Course, which is designed for people interested in learning more about investing and how mining can play a critical role in diversifying their portfolios. During the course development, I reached out to companies and institutions to explore partnerships and bring their expertise forward for participants.

As is often the case, we received an enthusiastic “yes” from some and a committed “no” from others. That’s business. But one particular response stopped me in my tracks. Someone told me, “Mining is too narrow, and we are about bringing private opportunities to retail investors.”

That comment broke my brain. Not because they mentioned private investments—I understand the value there—but because they dismissed mining as being “too narrow.”

Too narrow?

That simple phrase sent me down a rabbit hole. It sparked conversations and venting sessions with colleagues about how little people understand mining. Because here’s the truth: mining is anything but narrow. It is vast, dynamic, and deeply interconnected with every facet of modern life.

When people hear “mining,” they often picture little more than digging holes in the ground. But mining underpins the global energy transition, technological innovation, and infrastructure development. It is the bedrock upon which we are building the future. And that future requires more metals and minerals than ever before.

Mining is not just one thing—it is everything.

It is critical minerals enabling electric vehicles. It is copper wiring powering renewable energy grids. It is lithium batteries driving the electrification revolution. It is precious metals stabilizing economies and safeguarding investments.

Beyond that, every mine brings a network of supporting industries and opportunities—engineering, construction, transportation, technology, and community development. To call mining “narrow” is to overlook the sheer complexity and breadth of this sector.

Now, let’s be honest: investing in mining carries risk. We know this better than anyone. It can be volatile. It requires patience. It is often a long-term, strategic investment. You don’t touch it during the ups and downs; you let it sit and do its work. But with that risk can come exceptional returns.

And the range of investment options is far from limited:

Stocks. Bonds. ETFs. Private placements. Direct investments.

There are entry points for every investor, at every stage, with every risk appetite.

What that comment truly highlighted for me was the industry’s ongoing image problem. People simply don’t know. They don’t understand the scale or importance of mining. And that is exactly why we need to offer more opportunities for education—to empower people to see beyond the surface (pun intended) and make informed investment choices.

Mining is not narrow. It is foundational.

And it’s time we start treating it that way.

In a time when mining capital is at risk and our traditional ways of investing are not moving us forward, we need to focus on educating those populations who have typically not been active mining investors—women being one of these markets. We know in Canada and in most economically stable countries that women are going to hold a level of wealth that has never been seen before. We have a bridge to build between these two.

This is exactly what our upcoming Investment Course aims to achieve. We want to demystify investing, starting with the basics—understanding your investment style, identifying opportunities, and assessing risk. From there, we will dive into mining: how the sector operates, why it matters, and how it can contribute to a resilient, diversified portfolio.

Educating and empowering women to confidently navigate investments, including mining, is not just an opportunity—it is a necessity. Together, we can break down the barriers and build a future where more people, especially women, see mining for what it truly is: a vital, strategic, and rewarding investment.

Interested on the course? Sign up for our waitlist to be the first to register!

Mining at a Crossroads: Will we Choose Progress?

Lately, it feels like we are all trying to find our footing on shifting ground. The world feels chaotic and unstable. Progress we thought was certain is now being questioned. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts are being rolled back. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) discussions are increasingly met with criticism and hostility. Governments often seem more interested in theatrics than leadership.

It’s frustrating. It’s exhausting. And it’s terrifying.

For those of us in mining, this uncertainty weighs heavily. We’ve spent the past five years talking about our commitment to responsibility, sustainability, and inclusion. We’ve told the world that we care. That we are different. That we are changing.

But now, when the pressure is on—when costs are rising, production targets are critical, and shareholder expectations are mounting—will we hold the line on those commitments? Or will we retreat to what is easier and more familiar? Will we cut corners on the values we claimed were central to our future?

The truth is, it would be easier to let it all go. Profit is simpler when you don’t prioritize inclusion, responsibility, or community relationships. When you don’t listen to Indigenous voices. When you don’t care about diverse leadership. When you don’t worry about environmental and social impacts beyond the bare minimum.

But we know better. We know companies perform better with diverse teams, with greater inclusion, and with Indigenous partnerships. We know investors have more confidence in businesses that demonstrate integrity, transparency, and accountability. We know the future of mining is one where innovation, responsibility, and equity work together—not against each other.

So, the question is: Are we brave enough to stay the course?

Will investors, shareholders, and buyers continue to demand progress when times get tough? Will we, as an industry, resist the temptation to fall backward into old habits?

This is the moment that matters. This is when we prove whether all those words about responsibility and inclusion were just corporate jargon—or whether they were the foundation of the future we are building.

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We need action, not just words. Here are some ideas and solutions that can help us move forward:

1. Women and Investment: Studies have shown that increasing women's participation in investing leads to better long-term outcomes and stronger financial performance. Encouraging more women to invest in mining companies can help shift priorities towards sustainable, long-term value creation.

2. Inclusion in Leadership: Companies with diverse executive teams outperform those without. Mining companies should set clear targets for increasing representation of women, Indigenous leaders, and other underrepresented groups in senior positions.

3. Strengthening Standards: Support for comprehensive standards like the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) can drive greater transparency and accountability across the sector. Aligning with rigorous, independently verified standards helps ensure that progress is more than just talk.

4. Indigenous Partnerships: True partnerships with Indigenous communities, built on respect and shared value, can unlock long-term growth while reducing project risk. Mining companies need to move beyond consultation to genuine collaboration.

5. Investor Pressure: Investors and shareholders must continue to demand more than short-term profits. Supporting companies that demonstrate commitment to ESG principles and long-term value creation will help shift the industry towards responsible growth.

I know the road ahead isn’t easy. It never is. But I believe mining can be a leader—not just in production but in values. We can accelerate forward with innovation, inclusion, and courage. We can build an industry where everyone truly has a seat at the table.

But only if we choose to.

So, what will we choose?

Inviting the Feminist Vision of Mining: Where Intuition Meets Innovation

Mining leadership is experiencing a profound transformation. As we witnessed this week at AME Round Up 2025, the industry's most effective leaders blend traditional expertise with new problem-solving and team-building approaches.

The New Mining Leader

Today's mining leaders face unprecedented challenges: navigating the energy transition, managing ESG expectations, and building diverse, high-performing teams. Success requires more than technical knowledge—it demands emotional intelligence, adaptive thinking, and inclusive leadership. These areas are the basis of the Feminist Vision of Mining. When all talent can build these skills, people are brought in, not excluded.

Three Key Shifts in Mining Leadership:

• From Command to Collaboration: Traditional hierarchical structures, built on patriarchal ideals, give way to collaborative environments where diverse perspectives are welcomed and actively sought. Leaders who create psychological safety and encourage open dialogue see higher team performance and innovation.

• Intuitive Decision-Making: While data remains crucial, leaders can recognize that intuitive leadership—informed by experience and emotional intelligence—often leads to better outcomes. This is particularly evident in community relations, team development, and strategic planning. Responsible mining can be built on quantitative and qualitative data, increasing the participation of all those impacted.

• Inclusive Excellence: The most successful mining operations are led by those who understand that excellence comes in many forms. Companies that embrace different leadership styles and perspectives are building more resilient, adaptable organizations. Diversity builds excellence and resilience, another primary ethos of the Feminist Vision of Mining.

The Path Forward

The future of mining leadership lies in the balance—between technical expertise and emotional intelligence, data and intuition, tradition and innovation, men and women, and gender-diverse people. We must recognize that the best decisions come from combining solid data with strong intuition and diverse input.

This evolution presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the next generation of mining leaders. Those who can adapt their leadership style while staying authentic will be best positioned to lead the industry forward.

What's your experience with this evolution in mining leadership? How are you balancing traditional approaches with new ways of leading?

Building Momentum for Change in 2025

The first month of 2025 has already brought with it a surge of energy, resilience, and action from women around the globe, and I've felt it through conversations and moments with women in mining. At a time when global movements for inclusion are facing setbacks, women in this sector are proving that their voices, leadership, and influence are more essential than ever to shaping the future.

Recent global developments have been unsettling. The U.S. election has signalled a massive rollback of progress on women’s rights on many fronts, with one being merit-based hiring practices replacing intentional inclusion strategies—undermining years of work to address systemic inequalities. High-profile class action lawsuits have served as a reminder of the need to hold industries accountable for creating safer, more inclusive workplaces and that men and women are tired of being silent.

Yet, as someone recently told me, sometimes it takes an earthquake to shake us out of complacency. This shake-up has sparked a renewed commitment to change across industries—and mining is no exception.

The Rise of Women’s Leadership in Mining

In the face of these challenges, women are stepping up with determination. Conversations about diversity in leadership, team performance, and decision-making have reached new heights. Study after study continues to highlight the tangible benefits of diverse teams, and women in mining are leading the charge to embed these principles into corporate culture and boardrooms.

Moreover, women are not only asking for a seat at the table—they are building their own tables. Communities of women are forming at an incredible pace, creating networks that foster connection, mentorship, and collective impact. This is evident in our own growth at The Femina Collective in 2025 as we have watched our broader community grow by over 150% in the last 12 months. We are one of many movements supporting women to take up space and feel empowered to own their talent and presence. These movements are driving real change, amplifying women’s voices and ensuring they are not just heard, but acted upon.

Investing in the Future of Mining

Recently I spoke at AME Roundup to share my thoughts on the role women play in mining investment. I was delighted and validated to see the exciting shifts happening right now is the rise of non-brokered retail investor deals. This development is making it easier for women to enter the mining investment space, where historically, men have dominated decision-making roles. The numbers didn't lie - there was a massive surge in individuals putting their hard earned dollars back into mining, however it was unclear what the demographic breakdown was for those deals - though I'm sure we could all take a guess. For mining to thrive and meet the demands of the energy transition, women must have equal access to investment opportunities and decision-making power.

Women investing in mining are not only diversifying financial backing but also contributing to a more holistic approach to risk management and sustainability. As the mining industry evolves to meet critical mineral needs, we must ensure that women are positioned as investors, stakeholders, and decision-makers to drive innovation and long-term success.

A Moment of Momentum

The energy in the mining sector right now is palpable. Women are showing up with strength, conviction, and unity, proving that their power is not just individual but collective. Through community building, intentional advocacy, and bold leadership, women are making waves that will continue to ripple throughout the year—and far beyond.

This is a pivotal time for the industry, and for women’s role in it. By amplifying our voices, investing in the future, and continuing to show up for one another, we can create the change we know is possible. We aren't simply a DEI measure, we are 50% of the population, our opportunities should be equal.

As we move further into 2025, let’s harness this momentum. Let’s celebrate the progress we’ve made, acknowledge the work still to be done, and continue to challenge the status quo.

Here’s to the incredible women of mining—leading the way and shaping the future.

Dear Board of Directors

The recent class action suit has sent shockwaves through the mining industry. For some, it has reopened old wounds; for others, it has triggered past traumas or revealed the painful truth of what’s happening around us. This suit implicates two massive companies, but let’s not deceive ourselves—it isn’t just them. The outpouring of stories I’ve seen following last week’s post proves that this problem is pervasive. Yet, one sentiment kept coming up: the need for "difficult conversations."

That phrase didn’t sit well with me. What’s actually difficult in this situation is the decision to come forward—risking careers, livelihoods, and reputations. What’s difficult is enduring the aftermath: the whispers, the reputation-smearing, and the shaming. It’s not difficult—or at least it shouldn’t be—to confront perpetrators and say, "Enough is enough." It shouldn’t be difficult to address bullying, harassment, and assault, or to hold those responsible to account.

If the human cost isn’t enough to drive action, then consider the business case: the countless dollars spent on legal fees, settlements, HR investigations, and crisis management. Believing women, acting decisively, and fostering a culture of respect is simply good business. And yet, when perpetrators are removed, they often walk away with lucrative payouts and into their next leadership roles, with no accountability or consequence.

Boards hold immense power. I’ve been told before that boards "can only influence" but aren’t responsible for demanding change. I call that out as a lie. Your responsibility is to protect the company—and that means protecting its people, not just its profits. It means holding leadership accountable and refusing to turn a blind eye to systemic issues for the sake of optics or the bottom line.

So, I ask you: what will you do now? How will you use your influence, your voice, and your power to make radical, lasting change in this industry? Because this moment demands decisive action.

And to my fellow millennials rising into leadership roles: the runway ahead of us is long, and we are the ones steering this ship. We must do better—better for ourselves, for those who came before us, and for those who will come after. This is on us. Let’s not waste the opportunity to build a future that prioritizes respect, inclusion, and accountability.

The time for change is now. What are we waiting for?

The Future Boardroom: A Feminist Perspective

We’ve hosted three incredible events in our Q4 of 2024 dinner series and attended the inaugural Women Get On Board Inc. (WGOB) Vancouver Summit, where connecting with many talented women from diverse sectors brought incredible energy and insight. Amid the discussions, one theme rose repeatedly: governance and the structure of our boardrooms.

As we consider the future, the question lingers—do women fit into the current vision, or are we here to shape it?

For me, the focus has always been on the mining industry and increasing women's participation across all levels—from investment and ownership to leadership roles. The progress of women in boardrooms, especially in mining, has grown in recent years, but it’s clear that there’s still much to be done. The latest ESG Mining Company Index sheds light on the numbers, revealing that women still occupy fewer than a quarter of board seats in major mining companies. These statistics aren't just numbers; they’re indicators of a broader conversation about governance and who gets a seat at the table.

As Dr. Deborah Rosati FCPA, FCA, ICD.D, GCB.D, CCB.D often reminds us: “One woman is token, two is a voice, three is a movement.” Yet, too often, a small handful of highly qualified women are tapped to hold multiple board seats, creating visibility but at a personal and professional toll. This trend, while understandable in some respects, limits opportunities for new voices and fresh perspectives. How do we balance experience with expansion? How do we ensure that these influential women leverage their positions to open doors for others, diversifying boardrooms with intention rather than obligation?

Thinking about these questions, I believe a feminist lens in governance—a perspective that prioritizes inclusion, equity, and the courage to see value in the unexpected - is necessary. Bringing diversity to the table should go beyond a checklist and instead be part of a vision that reflects a company’s commitment to resilience and innovation. The ESG Mining Company Index emphasizes that organizations with greater gender diversity show stronger ESG performance, aligning with an increasingly purpose-driven investment landscape. We know this because we have been saying it for decades. For mining, an industry crucial to the energy transition, this connection between diverse governance and long-term sustainability is paramount.

Board roles should be more than the next step in an executive’s career; they should be purposeful and strategic, bringing together a mix of individuals to help companies thrive in evolving environments. This includes gender diversity, age diversity, race, and abilities diversity—factors that, combined, position a board to face both today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.

As we continue this conversation, my challenge to my peers and industry leaders is this: let’s not just imagine a future boardroom with greater diversity. Let’s actively build it by encouraging mentorship, championing new leaders, and embracing a governance style that’s not afraid to think differently. The future of mining and many other industries depends on it. Together, let’s make this a movement—one seat, one voice, one action at a time.

Reflecting on a Year Away: A Journey Toward Balance and Fulfillment

Just over a year ago, I made the difficult decision to step away from the financial security and prestige of an executive role in mining. I left behind the Bay Street office with its stunning lake views, the artwork adorning the walls, and the closet full of blazers and high heels. I stepped away from a brilliant team with big visions and an incredible assistant who kept my life seamlessly organized. It was a challenging and painful decision, in some ways a real blow to my ego, but change was necessary.

Over the past year, I've embarked on a journey of detoxing from corporate burn-out culture, leading to a life that feels complete and more balanced than ever.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

The Panic of Not Being Burnt Out Is Real: My body and mind were so accustomed to operating at full capacity that the absence of constant stress left me disoriented. It took months for my nervous system to settle and for me to feel normal again. As someone who prides myself on being 'high capacity', I didn't realize the level of stress I was carrying and living every day until it was gone.

The Power of Saying No: I learned the importance of protecting my time and energy. Saying no to things that did not align with my personal or professional goals helped me preserve time for family and friends and reduce unnecessary travel. It also gave my brain the ability to dream, create, and rest.

Financial Independence: It took time to detach my sense of worth from my job title and salary. I discovered that money can indeed be made outside of the corporate sphere and that my value is not tied to a position, or people's perception of what role I held.

Working Smarter: I've embraced working with projects and groups that resonate with my core values. I've learned that it's okay to walk away from situations and opportunities that feel misaligned or unfulfilling. I have one life to live, and I am committed to living it to the fullest.

This journey has led me to a place of daily joy and peace, where gratitude replaces panic. I am able to contribute to the mining industry, leveraging my influence in ways that align with my newfound values, and support women who are in need of rest and community.

While there are aspects of corporate life I miss, such as leading teams and setting strategies, I am not willing to compromise what I’ve gained this past year to return to just any role. My life now includes spending more time than ever with my children and husband, growing Femina Collective, starting a private investment club, and supporting initiatives like IRMA. These aren't passive activities; they are active choices that bring immense value to my life.

It’s hard to hear so many women describe their overwhelming busyness, placing their roles above their health, families, and friends. I'm here to tell you—it doesn't have to be that way. Life can be rich and fulfilling on all fronts, and my last year is a testament to that possibility. Here’s to more women finding their path to balance and fulfillment in whatever role and capacity gives the most joy and fulfillment.

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Carmen Turner and I talked about this transition and how Carmen worked through her own shift from corporate star to truly living her values and purpose. Check out the episode to continue the conversation.