Women continue to be significantly underrepresented in Canada’s Environmental and Clean Technology (ECT) sector, according to a new study by Statistics Canada. The research highlights persistent gender disparities in employment and compensation within this critical industry.
In 2021, women made up just 28.6% of the ECT workforce, a modest increase from 26.4% in 2009. Despite their higher presence in service-related roles compared to goods production, women in the sector face a substantial pay gap, earning on average 16.3% less than their male counterparts. The gender wage disparity persists across various demographics, including age, education, and occupation.
The study, authored by Bassirou Gueye from Statistics Canada’s Economic Analysis Division, utilizes data from the Environmental and Clean Technology Products Economic Account. It underscores the systemic underrepresentation and compensation inequities experienced by women in the ECT sector. “Women were more likely to have postsecondary education but still faced a significant gender pay gap,” the report notes.
The analysis further delves into intersectionality, revealing additional challenges for Indigenous, racialized, and immigrant women. Among these groups, women are underrepresented and experience wider compensation gaps compared to their male counterparts.
For instance, in 2021, Indigenous women comprised only 24.6% of Indigenous employees in the ECT sector, despite making up over half of the broader Indigenous workforce. Similarly, racialized women represented 31.5% of racialized employees in the ECT sector, compared to 47.8% of all racialized employees in Canada. Immigrant women also faced lower representation and pay disparities, with their average hourly compensation significantly trailing that of both immigrant and non-immigrant men.
The study calls for further research into the origins of these disparities and suggests that additional data on employee fields of study could enhance the analysis. It also highlights the importance of examining women-owned businesses within the ECT sector to better understand gender diversity in this field.
While the number of women in the ECT sector has grown faster than that of men since 2009, the overall gender composition remains largely unchanged. The study emphasizes the need for continued efforts to address these persistent gender inequities in order to foster a more inclusive and equitable workforce in Canada’s ECT sector.