Facts, stats, and impact: Gender equality
The following statistics highlight that inequality persists for women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada.
Facts and stats
Around the globeFootnote i
Text version
On average women earn 23% less than men globally.
Unpaid care work
Women in Canada report spending significantly more time caring for adults and children in an average week.Footnote ii
Women spend:
4 more hours
caring for adults
8 more hours
caring for children
Risks of poverty
Women in Canada are more likely than men to live in housing that is unaffordable and/or falls below acceptable housing standards.
| Gender | Likelihood of living in unaffordable and/or poor housing standards |
Likelihood of living in subsidized housingFootnote iii |
|---|---|---|
| Men | 7.1% | 2% |
| Women | 8.2% | 3% |
Representation in leadership and politics
2023
Women hold nearly half of all Canadian jobs (47.4%) but only 36.4% of managerial roles and less than 29% of senior management and legislative positions.Footnote iv
- Women from historically marginalized groups are less represented in senior leadership roles, including:
- Indigenous women (0.4%)
- 2SLGBTQIA+ (0.7%)
- Black women (0.8%)
- Women with disabilities (0.3%)Footnote v
2024
Canada is the only G20 country to have reached gender parity in the public service. While progress has been made, with many women holding key federal cabinet positions, women remain underrepresented in politics.
Of the 13 provincial and territorial premiers in Canada, only two are women.
Women and educationFootnote vi
Text version
4.4 M women in Canada obtained a bachelor’s degree, compared to 3.7 M men. However, in the same year, only 35% of women held science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) bachelor’s degree among Canadians aged 25 to 64. Of the same age group, only 21% of women who held a STEM bachelor's degree had jobs in the STEM field.Footnote vi
Healthcare
One in five
People who menstruate in Canada say they foresee being unable to afford period products at some point in the next 12 months.Footnote vii
Gender wage gap
Women’s wages have climbed since the 1980s, but the gap isn’t gone. In 2024, women aged 15 years and older working full-time in Canada earned 89 cents for every dollar earned by men.
11 cents less
In 2024, women aged 15 years and older earned 89 cents for every dollar earned by men.Footnote viii
$150B to GDP
According to the McKinsey Global Institute, advancing gender equality could contribute up to $150 billion to Canada’s GDP by 2026.Footnote ix
Representation in the workforce and business
Text version
Only 17% of Canadian small and medium-sized businesses are owned by women. Women are more likely to own businesses in young, small, low-growth and underfinanced sectors, such as retail trade, and other service sectors. These factors make it harder for women to access financing.Footnote x
Women with disabilities
Three in five
In 2024, nearly three in five (59%) persons with disabilities or long-term conditions experienced a labour market-related barrier to accessibility. Types of barriers include those experienced at work or during a hiring process, or those that discouraged or prevented one from working due to their conditions.Footnote xi
43%
In 2022, women in Canada (43%) were more likely than men (39%) to have severe or very severe disabilities.
People with disabilities in Canada tend to have lower participation in the workforce and subsequently lower personal income, compared to those without disabilities. They are less likely to experience financial security and more likely to live in poverty than persons without disabilities.