International Women's Day... by the numbers

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International Women's Day is March 8.

Here are some selected facts on assorted topics related to women in Canada.

(Last updated: March 6, 2017)


Women and girls in Canada

  • 18,290,800 — The estimated number of females of all ages in Canada as of July 1, 2016.

Source: Summary tables, Population by sex and age group, by province and territory.


Women and health and well-being     

  • 83.6 years — The average life expectancy at birth of a baby girl born in Canada between 2010 and 2012.

Source: CANSIM, table 053-0003

  • 17% — The percentage of women 12 and over who reported in 2014 that they have been diagnosed with high blood pressure.

Source: Summary tables, High blood pressure, by age group and sex (Percent).

  • 51% — The percentage of women 12 and over who reported they were at least moderately physically active during leisure time in 2014.

Source: Summary tables, Physical activity during leisure time, by age group and sex (Percent).
See also: Health in Canada.


Women and education

  • 56.3% — The proportion of total postsecondary enrolments represented by women in 2014/2015.
  • 57.7% — The proportion of the total number of postsecondary graduates in 2014 represented by women, a slight decline (0.3%) from 2013.

Source: "Canadian postsecondary enrolments and graduates, 2014/2015," The Daily, Tuesday, November 23, 2016.

  • 54.2% — The proportion of university degree holders aged 25 to 64 in 2011 who were women.

Source: Labour Force Survey.

In 2011, at least 20% of all employed women aged 25 to 34 with a university degree were in three occupations: registered nurses, elementary school and kindergarten teachers, and secondary school teachers. This was also the case in 1991.

Source: "Changes in the occupational profile of young men and women in Canada," Insights on Canadian Society. The Daily, Wednesday, April 2, 2014.


Science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science

Although they represented the majority of university degree holders in 2011, young women who attend university are less likely than young men to choose a program in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science (STEM), regardless of mathematical ability in high school.

  • 39% — The proportion of women among STEM university graduates aged 25 to 34 in 2011.

Conversely, in all non-STEM fields of study, women accounted for 66% of all university degree holders aged 25 to 34, and approximately 80% of graduates in health and education-related programs.

Source: "Study: Gender differences in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science programs at university," The Daily, Wednesday, December 18, 2013.

In 2011, the proportion of women in scientific occupations requiring a university education was 23%, in comparison with non-scientific occupations requiring a university education where it was 65%.

Source: "Study: Women in scientific occupations in Canada, 1991 to 2011," The Daily, Friday, June 24, 2016.

See also: Insights on Canadian Society – Gender differences in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science (STEM) programs at university; National Household Survey: Education and Labour – STEM Groupings, Major Field of Study - Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), 2011; "2011 National Household Survey: Education in Canada: Attainment, field of and location of study," The Daily, Wednesday, June 26, 2013.


Women in the workforce

  • 9,198,800 — The average number of women aged 15 and over in the labour force in Canada in 2016.

Source: CANSIM, table 282-0002.

  • 2,275,900 — The number of women aged 15 and over working part time in Canada in 2016.

Source: Summary tables, Reasons for part-time work by sex and age group (Women).

See also: Labour Force Survey.


Immigrant women in the workforce

Immigrant women from nations with higher female labour force participation rates had higher wages in Canada than women from nations with lower female labour force participation rates, even after controlling for individual-level characteristics, such as education, age at immigration, years since landing, job tenure and region of residence, as well as selected national-level characteristics, such as gender role attitudes.

Source: "Study: Source-country female labour force participation and the wages of immigrant women in Canada, 2006 to 2012," The Daily, Wednesday, January 28, 2015.

See also: National Household Survey, Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity.


Women and retirement savings

In 2012, for the first time, the participation of women in registered pension plans (RPP) equaled that of men.

  • 63.0% — The proportion of women with membership in a public sector registered pension plan (RPP) in 2015.
  • 35.8% — The proportion of women with membership in a private sector registered pension plan (RPP) in 2015.

Source: "Pension plans in Canada, as of January 1, 2015," The Daily, Thursday, July 21, 2016.

  • 39% — The share of total registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) contributions made by women in 2015.
  • $2,430 — The median registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) contribution made by women in 2015.

Source: CANSIM, table 111-0039.

See also: "Registered retirement savings plan contributions, 2015," The Daily, Friday, February 24, 2017.


Maternity leave

Coverage and eligibility of mothers for maternity or parental benefits have been relatively unchanged since 2003.

  • 75.7% — The proportion of all recent mothers (those with a child aged 12 months or less) that had insurable employment.

Source: "Employment Insurance Coverage Survey, 2015," The Daily, Wednesday, November 16, 2016.


Mothers in Canada

  • 9.8 million — The total number of mothers in Canada (including biological, adoptive and stepmothers) in 2011.
Number of mothers in Canada (including biological, adoptive and stepmothers), by province, 2011
  Number (thousands) Percent
Canada 9,821 100.0
Newfoundland and Labrador 164 1.7
Prince Edward Island 43 0.4
Nova Scotia 293 3.0
New Brunswick 226 2.3
Quebec 2,279 23.2
Ontario 3,783 38.5
Manitoba 349 3.6
Saskatchewan 305 3.1
Alberta 1,059 10.8
British Columbia 1,320 13.4
  • 4.1 million — The number of mothers in Canada with children under 18 living with them (including biological, adoptive and stepmothers) in 2011.
Number of mothers in Canada with children under 18 living with them (including biological, adoptive and stepmothers), by province, 2011
  Number (thousands) Percent
Canada 4,088 100.0
Newfoundland and Labrador 55 1.3
Prince Edward Island 16 0.4
Nova Scotia 106 2.6
New Brunswick 81 2.0
Quebec 910 22.3
Ontario 1,596 39.0
Manitoba 162 4.0
Saskatchewan 127 3.1
Alberta 510 12.5
British Columbia 525 12.9

Source: General Social Survey - Family, 2011 (Cycle 25).


For other data and analyses on women, see: Statistics by subject—Women and gender and Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report.


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