Canadian mothers continue to make career decisions influenced by childcare responsibilities more often than fathers, according to new data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) from Statistics Canada. The findings highlight persistent gender disparities in how men and women balance work and family life.
The survey, which sought to understand the career and employment barriers experienced by parents, revealed that core-aged mothers with children aged 12 and younger are more likely to prioritize childcare in their career decisions compared to their male counterparts.
Over the 12-month period ending in July, 40.6% of employed mothers reported making at least one career or job-related decision that placed childcare responsibilities ahead of their careers. This percentage remains largely unchanged from September 2022, when the same question was posed in the LFS.
The data also show specific actions taken by mothers in comparison to fathers. For example, 7.0% of mothers reported turning down a job offer due to childcare responsibilities, nearly double the rate of fathers, which stood at 3.7%. Additionally, 8.2% of mothers changed to a less demanding job or position, compared to just 3.7% of fathers.
Furthermore, 18.2% of mothers reduced their regular work hours, a figure notably higher than the 10.1% of fathers who did the same. These statistics underscore the ongoing impact of gender roles in household and childcare responsibilities on career trajectories.
The LFS findings suggest that despite broader changes in the labour market, gender differences in how childcare responsibilities are managed continue to play a significant role in shaping the careers of Canadian parents, particularly mothers.
Employed mothers more likely than fathers to reduce their regular work hours or to not apply for a job or promotion
| Action | Mothers (%) | Fathers (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced regular work hours | 18.2 | 10.1 |
| Turned down or reduced overtime | 15.8 | 12.2 |
| Decided not to apply for a job or promotion | 14.9 | 8.3 |
| Turned down challenging tasks or projects | 10.7 | 6.2 |
| Changed to a less demanding job or position | 8.2 | 3.7 |
| Turned down a job offer | 7.0 | 3.7 |
| Turned down a promotion | 3.2 | 1.9 |
| Other | 2.6 | 1.3 |