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2005 Employment Equity Annual Report - Chapter 1 (Women)

 

1.1 Women

Highlights

  • The representation of women increased markedly from 1987 to 2004, but remained significantly below their availability (see Table 1 and Graph 1).

  • Compared to 2003, their level of representation did not change much overall or in component sectors.

  • The representation of women surpassed their availability in both Management and Supervisory positions in 2004 (see Graph 2). 3

  • The highest representation of women in the country occurred in the Yukon, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. In each of these regions, women’s representation exceeded their respective provincial/territorial availability (see Graph 3).

  • The overall share of women hired was relatively constant between 2003 and 2004, and was significantly below their availability (see Table 2). 4

  • Although women’s share of promotions at the overall level was relatively constant from 2003 to 2004, they received their fair share when compared to availability (see Table 3.

  • Women’s share of terminations at the overall and each of the component sector levels were relatively stable between 2003 and 2004, and were below their availability, indicating that they were leaving the workforce at a reasonable rate (see Table 4).

  • In 2004, except in the Banking sector, the number of women hired exceeded the number terminated, resulting in a positive net effect (see Graph 4).

Table 1
Number and Representation of Women by Sector (1987, 2003 and 2004)

Sector 1987 2003 2004
  No. of Women % of Sector Workforce No. of Women % of Sector Workforce No. of Women % of Sector Workforce
Banking 129,076 76.1% 129,716 70.3% 128,322 69.6%
Communications 71,038 39.6% 85,215 40.8% 90,232 41.1%
Transportation 34,423 16.9% 45,130 25.1% 47,244 25.3%
Other Sector 9,207 21.3% 13,015 27.6% 16,922 28.1%
All Sectors 243,744 40.9% 273,076 44.0% 282,720 43.4%

Graph 1
Representation of Women (1987-2004)

Representation of Women (1987-2004)

* The data on Canadian labour market availability of women are obtained from Censuses that are conducted once every five years by Statistics Canada.

Graph 2
Representation of Women by Occupational Group (2004) and Canadian Labour Market Availability (2001)*

Representation of Women by Occupational Group (2004) and Canadian LAbour Market Availability (2001)

*Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census of Canada
**“EEOG” refers to Employment Equity Occupational Group

Graph 3
Representation of Women by Region (2004)

Representation of Women by Region (2004)

*Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census of Canada

Table 2
Total Number and Share of Women Hired by Sector (1987, 2003 and 2004)

Sector 1987 2003 2004
  Total % of Sector Workforce Total % of Sector Workforce Total % of Sector Workforce
Banking 16,704 76.3% 10,620 59.3% 12,258 57.9%
Communications 7,515 43.1% 8,486 35.5% 13,021 41.9%
Transportation 7,316 21.8% 7,673 24.5% 8,635 24.1%
Other Sector 1,485 33.0% 1,236 30.8% 3,089 32.3%
All Sectors 33,020 42.7% 28,015 36.3% 37,003 37.9%

Table 3
Total Number and Share of Women Promoted by Sector (1987, 2003 and 2004)

Sector 1987 2003 2004
  Total % of Sector Workforce Total % of Sector Workforce Total % of Sector Workforce
Banking 27,599 69.9% 14,037 66.6% 14,618 64.5%
Communications 4,900 44.1% 3,916 44.2% 4,009 42.9%
Transportation 2,655 18.0% 2,660 34.3% 1,643 28.5%
Other Sector 856 26.4% 829 29.0% 1,171 34.8%
All Sectors 36,010 52.5% 21,442 52.9% 21,441 52.1%

Table 4
Total Number and Share of Women Terminated by Sector (1987, 2003 and 2004)

Sector 1987 2003 2004
  Total % of Sector Workforce Total % of Sector Workforce Total % of Sector Workforce
Banking 16,819 77.5% 12,794 64.5% 12,982 64.2%
Communications 6,176 38.6% 10,371 40.5% 9,998 39.0%
Transportation 6,028 18.5% 7,840 24.5% 7,466 22.6%
Other Sector 1,402 27.6% 1,245 29.0% 1,598 27.8%
All Sectors 30,425 40.3% 32,250 39.4% 32,044 37.9%

Graph 4
Net Effect: Women Hired Minus Terminated by Sector (1987, 2003 and 2004)

Net Effect: Women Hired Minus Terminated by Sector (1987,2003 and 2004)Graph 4


3 To facilitate occupational comparisons in this Report, the 14 Employment Equity Occupational Groups have been combined into 6 occupational groups.

4 The share is the percentage of total hires, promotions or terminations of employment received by members of a particular designated group. The share of hires is compared to availability, while the shares of promotions and terminations are compared to representation.


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Date Modified: 2006-11-27

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