Why pay transparency matters

Everyone deserves to be paid fairly and our communities are stronger when everyone is treated equally. Too many women in B.C. however are still making less than men. Last year, women in B.C. earned 15% less than men. The pay gap also disproportionately impacts women and gender-diverse people who are Indigenous, racialized, newcomers, disabled and/or 2SLGBTQIA+.

What is the gender pay gap?

The gender pay gap refers to the difference in earnings between people of different genders. While it affects people all along the gender continuum, it is most often expressed as a difference in hourly wages between men and women and is a significant barrier to gender equality.

Additional work underway to address the gender pay gap

In addition to introducing pay transparency legislation, B.C. has also been working toward closing the pay gap on many different fronts, recent initiatives include:

• Investments in childcare so no parent is forced to choose between their career and family – this is the single most impactful way we can close the gap
• Investing in housing for women and children creating a life after violence
• Raising B.C.’s minimum wage, 60 percent of these earners are women
• Raising liquor server wages to meet the minimum wage for workers in that industry, 80 percent of whom are women
• Giving extra support to women in skilled trades through enhanced employment and skills training so women stand to benefit from good paying jobs
• The provision of upskilling and micro-credentialing, improved transit and transportation infrastructure, as well as closing the digital divide are also critical to allow people to participate in the labour force

With more than one million job openings anticipated for B.C. over the next decade, women will continue to play an increasingly important role in keeping B.C.’s economy diverse, strong and growing.