Ontario Equal Pay Day Facts
Hennessy’s Index is a monthly listing of numbers, written by the CCPA’s Trish Hennessy, about Canada and its place in the world. For other months, visit: http://policyalternatives.ca/index
- 31.5
Percentage pay gap between men and women in Ontario in 2011, the most recent year of data available, based on average annual earnings. That’s up from a 28% gender pay gap in 2010.
- 68.5 cents
How much Ontario working women made in 2011 for every man’s dollar. That’s down from 72 cents in 2010.
- $200
Increase in Ontario men’s average annual earnings between 2010 and 2011. They earned an average of $49,000 in 2011.
- $1,400
Decrease in Ontario women’s average annual earnings between 2010 and 2011. They earned an average of $33,600 in 2011.
- 38.5
Percentage gender pay gap for Ontario women between the ages of 35 and 44 in 2011 – the gap is highest for this age group.
- 79
The age women in Ontario would have to work until in order to catch up to what men earn, on average, by the time they reach 65 years of age.
- 18,000
Number of additional jobs that young Ontario women lost compared to men between 2009 and 2013.
- 58.3%
The share of women among minimum wage workers in Ontario. Even at $11 an hour, the minimum wage still keeps a full-time, year-round employee working poor in Ontario.
- 18.3
Percentage of persons in Ontario low-income families where the woman was the main breadwinner in 2011, compared to 8.1% of male breadwinner low-income families.
- 24
Percentage of fewer earnings for racialized women in Ontario compared to racialized men.
- 27
Percentage of fewer earnings for first-generation immigrant women in Ontario compared to immigrant men.
- 40
Percentage of fewer earnings for Aboriginal women in Ontario compared to non-Aboriginal men.
- $6.43
The hourly wage premium for unionized women workers in Ontario, showing how unions can also be great equalizers.
- 16 th
The day in April 2014 that is officially recognized by Queen’s Park as Equal Pay Day in Ontario. It’s a step in the right direction. What’s still missing is a strategic plan to close the gender gap.
Source: A Growing Concern: Ontario’s Gender Pay Gap , available for download at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ website
