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
13 cents less
In 2024, women aged 25-54 who were working full-time, part-time, or actively seeking work had a record 85% labour force participation rate yet earned 87 cents for every dollar earned by a man. The wage gap is even higher for Black, Indigenous, and women of colour.Note de bas de page 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.
Senior Women
43%
Senior women are significantly more reliant on government transfers as a primary source of income in later life. In 2022, government transfers made up 43% of senior women’s total income, compared to 32% for older men.Footnote xii
26% less
Despite efforts to close the gender pay gap, income inequality persists in retirement. In 2022, senior women earned 26% less than senior men, down from 34% in 1976. Footnote xii
12%
Senior women are more likely than senior men to live in inadequate or unaffordable housing. 12% of senior women live in housing that is unaffordable and/or below acceptable standards, compared to 8% of senior men.Footnote xiii
19%
Racialized and immigrant senior women experience the highest rates of low income. Racialized senior women had the highest low-income rate in 2020 at 19%, followed by senior immigrant women at 18%.Footnote xii
Women tend to live longer than men, but for many, those extra years come with a higher risk of poverty. Lifelong income inequality, shaped by the gender wage gap, unpaid caregiving responsibilities, part-time work, and career interruptions, means women often retire with fewer savings and limited access to workplace pensions.