A recent Canadian Chamber of Commerce Business Lab report shows that while Canada has made some positive strides in advancing equality for women in business, there is much work to be done if we are to achieve the success seen in other countries around the world. 
 
While women have made gains in overall employment, rising from 43 per cent of total jobs in 1987 to 48 per cent in 2023, they fare worse in senior-ranking positions. In 2023, the share of women across all management occupations, which includes middle managers, was only 35 per cent; this share falls to 30 per cent for senior managers, and less than 25 per cent in the boardrooms of corporate Canada. If current trends persist, national parity will not be achieved within this century.

The good news is that women’s wages have grown faster than men’s in recent decades, however, notable compensation gaps remain. In 2023, women earned less than men—88 cents to the dollar in management occupations, up from only 80 cents in 1997.
 
The report goes on to paint a picture of the gaps that persist and provides recommendations for businesses to pursue an enabling, robust and inclusive framework for advancement in Women’s leadership and entrepreneurship. 
 
To read the report and recommendations, click here.