Question Period Note: Gender Equality in the Economy

What is the Government of Canada doing to support gender equality in the economy?

• Women continue to experience challenges to reach their full and equal participation in the economy. Certain groups such as Indigenous and immigrant women as well as LGBTQ2 Canadians face additional challenges.

• To help more women participate in the economy, the Government has committed to:
o creating a national secretariat that will lay the groundwork for a national childcare system;
o developing a Guaranteed Paid Family Leave program;
o developing a Federal Plan for Gender Equality, which will include actions to advance gender equality in the economy; and,
o implementing a National Housing Strategy.

• This work will complement initiatives we already have in place, such as proactive pay equity legislation and flexible work arrangements as part of the Canada Labour Code.

• The National Housing Strategy, which ensures that women and girls can access affordable housing that meets their needs, will also help more women participate in the economy.

Women continue to be less likely than men to participate in the labour force. The reasons for this are interrelated and include an inequitable share of unpaid domestic and care responsibilities that can lead to workforce interruptions and an overrepresentation of women in part-time or temporary work. This impedes women's earning ability, which, over time, impedes their overall economic security, including as seniors.

Women's diverse backgrounds and experiences also intersect with labour force participation, creating additional impediments.
o In 2019, in the core working ages of 25 to 54, the labour force participation rate was 91% for men overall; 84% for women overall; 92% for immigrant men; and 78% for immigrant women.
o Among recent immigrants, women earned 82 cents for every dollar earned by men who had landed in Canada in the same period in 2018.
o In 2019, 75% of Indigenous women (aged 25 to 54) participated in the labour force, compared to 84% of Indigenous men.
o In 2019, women (aged 25 to 54) represented 73% of all part-time workers, and, in 2018, represented 59% of all minimum wage workers.
o In 2016, the prevalence of low income among Indigenous women was 25% compared to 14% of the total population of women and girls.

Labour participation rates and pay gaps attest to the negative impacts of intersectional factors on workplace outcomes for diverse groups of women. While similar data on LGBTQ2 realities is not available, existing research suggests that discrimination is a persistent workplace issue.

Initiatives helping to advance women’s economic participation include:
o A Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework;
o Flexible work arrangements as part of the Canada Labour Code;
o Maternity and parental benefits;
o Proactive Pay Equity Legislation; and
o Programs to support more women in non-traditional economic areas like the skilled trades and entrepreneurship.

Through the Women's Program, the Department for Women and Gender Equality is supporting projects to improve the economic participation of women in Canada. A total of $15 million is being invested in projects that address the root causes (e.g. pay inequity, accessibility of childcare, wage gap) that limit women’s economic wellbeing, as well as projects that identify opportunities for Indigenous women’s economic success and take action to implement solutions.

The Government is committed to promoting LGBTQ2 equality, protecting LGBTQ2 rights, and addressing discrimination against LGBTQ2 communities, including in the workplace.
o Budget 2019 committed to investing $20 million in LGBTQ2 organizations to help address persistent disparities among LGBTQ2 Canadians.

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