Economic and employment equality

Although men and women have the same rights in Québec, in reality, economic equality has not been achieved. Women do not receive the same economic opportunities as men, and some women are more particularly affected by poverty. This is the case for women who are single parents, immigrants, Indigenous, elderly, with disabilities, and with little education.

Overall, it can be noted that:

• On average, women earn a lower annual income than men, regardless of their age group or level of education.
• Even when they are permanent full-time employees, women earn a lower average hourly salary than men with the same employment status.
• The activity and employment rates of women are lower than those of men.
• More women work part-time than men.
• More women are paid the minimum wage than men. 

 
In particular, these differences can be explained by the fact that the labour market is divided based on gender, and that what are known as women’s jobs are undervalued and less recognized. Women also remain the majority of those with family responsibilities. For example, women are more likely than men to miss work to care for children or sick relatives.

The right to pay equity is part of the means put in place throughout the years to move toward economic equality between women and men. The Pay Equity Act  (in French only) allows individuals occupying a female-dominated job to receive an equal salary to that of a person occupying an equivalent male‑dominated job within the same company.

Although this right has been in force since 1996, female-dominated jobs remain underpaid in several sectors.

Female-dominated jobs are undervalued due to the surrounding culture, education received, and gender stereotypes. This contributes, among other things, to maintaining wage gaps.

In fact, female-dominated jobs may be perceived as being easier and as requiring qualities that are historically and naturally associated with women. These stereotypes are based on gender (listening, empathizing, caring, educating, beautifying, etc.).

However, these skills are taught and can be learned; they are neither innate nor specific to women or men. They should be considered and remunerated based on objective criteria related to the job, such as the level of responsibility, effort required, working conditions, etc.

Diversity in the workplace means that jobs are occupied by men and women in equal proportions. It represents a way of moving toward economic equality between women and men, and real wage equity. In the event of authentic diversity in the workplace, the categories of what are known as female or male jobs no longer apply.

For equal proportions of both genders in workplaces to happen, certain issues must be taken into consideration. For example, the integration and maintenance of female workers in male-dominated fields and their career progression.

Consult the Effects of Stereotypes on Career Choices web page which addresses the issues related to stereotypes in career choices.

Diversity in the workplace consists of advantages for all of society because it contributes to achieving equality in fact.

Greater diversity in the workplace can lead to an improved work climate, partly by generating more respectful professional communication and by diversifying the competencies within work teams.

This can also increase the potential labour pool and thereby contribute to the economic prosperity of companies. In female-dominated sectors, the employment of men has the tendency to foster an increased value for the occupations.

For all workers, these benefits contribute to their professional growth. For example:

• Access to a wider range of options to update their skills and their professional interests
• Greater opportunities related to career progression
• Possibility of better income and better working conditions, especially for women

The Act respecting equal access to employment in public bodies  aims to address employment inequalities in certain public bodies and to facilitate access to all types of employment for members of minority groups, including women. However, on its own, it cannot provide the means to promote greater diversity. 

Employers have their own challenges to overcome in promoting diversity, such as:

• adapting the workplace to the particular needs of women and men
• adopting family-work-school-personal life balance  measures (in French only)
• implementing effective policies against sexual and gender-based harassment