Canadian Labour Congress' 2019 Q3 Labour Market Snapshot shows need for national child care strategy

EXCERPTS

OTTAWA – Recently released Statistics Canada data shows that women identify child care and family responsibilities as their main barrier to full-time employment, concludes a recent Labour Force Survey analysis by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

Part-time jobs in Canada are typically low-wage with no benefits. The gap between part-time and full-time wage earners currently sits at approximately $9 per hour, which disproportionately affects women who account for 75 percent of Canada’s part-time workers.

“With child care identified as a barrier to full-time employment and women shouldering most of the lost earnings, it’s clear that Canada needs a national child care strategy,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “It has been proven again and again that access to child care is a key determinant to improving gender equality. Canada’s unions stand ready to work with governments across the country to build a truly universal, affordable and inclusive child care system.”

Improving women’s employment means addressing the barriers facing the most vulnerable groups of women, and putting in place services and programs that address the systemic roots of discrimination and inequality.

“This government has taken important steps in the process of creating quality, accessible child care,” added Yussuff. “With women making up a significant majority of workers in undervalued and low-wage sectors, there is much more progress we must make toward real equality. Strengthening our child care system would be a good first step.”