QUEEN’S PARK – Stephanie Bowman, MPP for Don Valley West has released the following statement in response to the FAO’s report on Women in Ontario’s Labour Market:

“As a working mom, I see my lived experiences and that of my colleagues reflected in this report. We hear the same story over and over – women and mothers in Ontario continue to struggle to catch up with their male counterparts. Women in Ontario need meaningful action from this government to encourage organizations across all sectors to examine the wage gap within their own organization and address it.

“It is unacceptable that we are still seeing women paid 87 cents on the dollar compared to men – a number that has not improved in over a decade. Only 2 cents of the 13-cent wage gap account for occupational composition, which means that 11 cents are directly due to wage inequality. That qualified women are paid less due to their gender, as outlined in the report, needs to be another wakeup call.  

“While this government dragged its feet on signing a deal with the federal government on $10/day daycare, this report shows the real relief it provides against the ‘Motherhood Penalty’ and its ability to increase women’s labour participation. This government needs to take a leadership role in addressing the barriers to delivering more daycare spaces – like a childcare workforce strategy, improved salary scales as called for by the Ontario Coalition for Better Childcare, and a funding formula that works for non-profit providers – so that women and the economy may benefit.

“Decisions like restraining wages for workers under Bill 124, which impacts workers who are predominantly women, shows this government’s true colours when it comes to women in the workforce.”

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