Canada
The federal government has made significant gender equity investments—such as funding the Federal Women’s Program, NSERC initiatives, and the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy. Through WAGE, its focus has broadened to include intersectionality, 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion, and anti-racism. National frameworks like the Gender-Based Violence Action Plan and Child Care Agreements highlight how federal leadership can drive cross-jurisdictional progress.
However, the CCWESTT report identifies major gaps. Canada lacks a coordinated national strategy for women in SETT (science, engineering, skilled trades and technology) fields, with fragmented programs and unclear accountability. Funding mechanisms often lack transparency and evaluation, limiting long-term impact. CCWESTT calls for national planning, independent accountability structures, and stronger enforcement to ensure investments yield sustainable change.
The CCWESTT Gender Equality Report Card indicates that Canada has made progress toward gender equality in science, engineering, trades, and technology, although significant gaps remain. Women—especially those from Indigenous, racialized, disabled, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities—continue to face pay inequities, underrepresentation in leadership, and barriers to entry and retention.
The CCWESTT Gender Equality Report Card highlights that jurisdictions play a crucial role in shaping workplaces and the experiences of those within them. For its part, the Canadian Government received a grade of B, reflecting progress but underscoring that more work is needed. Most provincial and territorial governments did not score as highly. The report calls for stronger national coordination, more effective enforcement of equality laws, and safer, more accessible workplaces, along with practical supports such as childcare and credential recognition to achieve lasting inclusion in SETT fields.
Targeted action on enforcement, credential alignment, workplace safety, and proactive pay equity—especially for equity-deserving groups—will turn potential into lasting impact.
Women and gender-diverse people are making inroads into leadership, but representation remains low and uneven across SETT fields.
Canada has laid the necessary groundwork to protect against discrimination and advance inclusion, but uneven implementation and limited accountability leave significant room for improvement.
All jurisdictions have human rights laws, yet only a few maintain well-resourced gender equality offices or require mandatory Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+), revealing gaps between policy commitment and consistent action.
CCWESTT acknowledges that our greater science, engineering, trades and technology (or SETT) community is situated on the ceded and unceded traditional territories of First Nation, Inuit, and Métis peoples from coast to coast to coast in what is known as ‘Canada’. CCWESTT fervently believes SETT is enriched through collective relations and knowledge sharing and is committed to helping enhance and build these relations. Full land acknowledgement here.
