Income equity champion:

In BPW, we believe that income equity must become a reality for all. At the present time this is not so, especially for many seniors, particularly women, who find themselves living their "golden years" below the poverty line.  Pay equity is far from a reality in Canada. Women in the workforce still earn only a percentage of what their male counterparts earn – on average, less than 80%. The self-employed and business owners, many women entrepreneurs, also face particular challenges. They cannot contribute to the Employment Insurance fund, and thus have no access to EI benefits such as maternity/parental leave or the Compassionate Care-givers Leave.

Together with other organizations concerned with these issues, BPW Canada will work towards lobbying our Government to see that income equity issues are pursued and dealt with fairly. On this page, we will post resources that will help clubs work on these issues, and will bring you updated reports as we continue with our pursuit of income equity for women. Here is some work that BPW Canada has done in this area:

• Wage gap is even greater for university-educated women,” BPW Canada president writes. (pdf)
• Equality Once and For All! Women in the Workforce: Still a Long Way from Equality. Congress, 2008 (Canada Labour pdf)
• YWCA Canada Report on The Status of Women and Girls in Canada, 2008. (pdf)
• BPW Ontario proposes a strategy for economic equality between the sexes and to eliminate the wage gap.
  Read Sheila Crook’s report. (pdf)
• Ad-hoc Task Force on Employment Insurance:
  Many reports have documented the fact that EI is not working for women. Since the reforms of the mid-1990's, only 32% of unemployed women qualify for regular EI benefits compared to 70% before the cuts. Currently 40% of men qualify. BPW Canada has had a number of resolutions on EI over the years, including one urging the govenment to provide access to maternity/parental benefits for self-employed women.  This newly-established BPW Task Force will develop a comprehensive position statement for BPW Canada. If you have expertise and or interest in this area, and would like to be a member of the Task Force, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
• BPW Canada Convention 2006 Resolution:
        * Review of Formula for Private Pensions and Annuities (pdf)
• BPW Canada Position Statement:
      * Incomes for Senior Women in Canada (pdf)

* At Convention 2006 in Toronto, BPW Canada members passed a resolution, urging the Government of Canada to find a way that the self-employed and business owners can contribute to the EI fund, in order to be able to access benefits such as maternity/parental leave or the Compassionate Care-givers Leave.
    * Access to EI self-employed (pdf)

* At Convention 2004 in Regina, BPW Canada members endorsed the report of the Prime Minister's Task Force on Women Entrepreneurs, 2003 (http://womensenterprise.ca/entrepreneurs-spotlight/studies.php) and urged the Government of Canada to begin implementation of its recommendations.

* BPW Canada Position Statement Pay Equity (pdf)

For BPW Canada’s policy, see Index of Resolution
For recent submissions to government, see Briefs