September 18, 2024 Gatineau, Quebec Employment and Social Development Canada
Today, the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Labour, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, and the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, issued the following statement marking International Equal Pay Day:
"Far too many workers, especially women, are still paid less than the value of their work. This inequality calls us to collective action. It takes all of us-governments, unions, employers and community advocates-working together to reduce these gaps.
When people do work of equal value, they deserve equal pay. That's what pay equity is all about. Skills, qualifications, working conditions, levels of responsibility and effort are all factors that employers should consider when calculating their employees' pay-but gender should never be a factor.
Canada has made great progress toward ensuring equal pay for work of equal value. This includes passing the Pay Equity Act to protect pay equity in federally regulated industries, and appointing Canada's first Pay Equity Commissioner to administer and enforce the Act through education and dispute resolution.
Through Equi'Vision, Canada's first-of-its-kind pay transparency website, we're shining light on the barriers to equity and pay gaps experienced by women, as well as Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities. By making this information publicly available, the Government aims to draw attention to the persistent issues in Canadian workplaces that are maintaining pay gaps and preventing representation, so that businesses are encouraged to act upon them.
Canadian workplaces have evolved since the introduction of the Employment Equity Act in 1986, but we know there's more to do to make true pay equity a reality. The modernization of the Employment Equity Act will help us get closer to where we need to be, better reflect today's realities and create a workforce as vibrant and diverse as our country.
Reducing pay gaps and improving workplace representation isn't just the right thing to do-it's the smart thing to do. When everyone can count on equal pay for work of equal value, and when we all have a fair and equal chance at success, we help build prosperity for all of us."
