Hennessy’s Index: April 2014

Ontario Equal Pay Day Facts

Hennessy's Index

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

Author(s): 
April 16, 2014