Covid-19 and the Gender Pay Gap in Canada’s Health Sector.

17 July 2022 - The narrowing of the gender pay gap in Canada’s health and care sector is being affected by Covid-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labor Organization (ILO) released a global analysis highlighting that the wage divide between men and women in the health care sector in Canada has almost halved in the last decade. They cited the change of 4.7 percent in 2019 from 8.5 percent in 2000. This shows that on average female workers earned 4.7 percent lower than their male counterparts. 

Due to Covid-19, the average hourly wages for Canadian women in the health and care field went from 14 percent in December 2020 to 19 percent in January 2019. However, job losses during the pandemic affected more women then men in the health care sector. And workers feel they are not being paid well enough.

Not adequately compensated

A registered nurse in Ontario, Hoffarth, says “People who work in health care are not adequately compensated for the work that they do at work and the work that they continue to do outside of work and outside of their paid time as well.”

Although progress has been made in Canada, the latest WHO/ILO report emphasizes the unfair treatment of women in the healthcare sector. The findings show that women are continuing to face gender-related inequalities. Canadian researchers found that “women account for less than 35 percent of doctors in the 10 specialties with the highest incomes.” These specialties include radiology, ophthalmology and cardiology.  

Because of Covid-19, hospitals are facing staffing issues, staff burnout and fleeing workers who are leaving the medical field. “Women have suffered the impact of the pandemic, particularly because most workers in the health and care sector are women," says Michelle McIsaac, co-author of the global analysis produced by WHO/ILO and WHO economist. 

Michelle adds: “Since women have a greater representation at the low end of the pay scale, the loss of employment at the low end during the periods with the strictest public health measures may have impacted them more than men who are less represented at the low end of the pay scale in the health and care sector.”

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