Ontario is furthering its work to close the gender wage gap by established a working group to help guide the province’s action plan.
The group, which was announced Thursday on the 30th anniversary of Ontario’s Pay Equity Act, includes 14 organizations and two community members representing business, human resources and women’s advocacy. According to a statement from the government, the group will provide advice and feedback on how the province can address specific issues and initiatives identified in its Gender Wage Gap final report, published in April.
Read: Employers integral to closing gender wage gap: report
The issues and initiatives include:
- Shared parental leaves;
- A gender workplace analysis tool;
- A social awareness strategy to help understand the effects of gender bias, the gender wage gap and the importance of closing the gap; and
- A review of pay equity legislation.
“Despite our participation throughout the workforce, barriers remain that prevent women and our economy from reaching full potential,” said Tracy MacCharles, the minister responsible for women’s issues, in a release. “The creation of this working group continues the important work of the Gender Wage Gap Steering Committee and enhances the government’s commitment to support women’s economic empowerment in Ontario.”
The organizations participating in the working group are the Human Resources Professionals Association, the Christian Labour Association of Canada Ontario, Catalyst Canada, the Ontario Federation of Labour and its member unions, the Toronto Board of Trade, the Provincial Building Trades Council of Ontario, the Equal Pay Coalition, Up with Women, the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Ontario, the Provincial Network on Developmental Services, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the Women’s Executive Network, the Service Employees International Union, and the Business and Professional Women’s Club Ontario.