Equal Pay Coalition - Ontario 20th Anniversary Celebration

The Equal Pay Coalition was formed in 1976 as a coalition of organizations to seek the implementation of equal pay for work of equal value both through legislation and collective bargaining. The Coalition has over 39 constituent and partner groups which represent Ontario women and men who support equal pay for work of equal value . See About Us for more information.

Media Release - January 17, 2008
Equal Pay Coalition Calls for Action on 20th Anniversary of the Pay Equity Act to End Widespread Gender Pay Discrimination in Ontario
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20th Anniversary Pay Equity Backgrounder
Closing the Gender Gap in Ontario: Securing Justice for Women's Work
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Pay discrimination must be ended

Women in Ontario, on average, still earn 29% less than men.

The pay gap affects women of all ages, races, and education levels. It affects women in all parts of the province, regardless of where they work in the economy, the size of their workplace or the precariousness of their work. The pay gap is even larger for racial minority women, Aboriginal women and women with disabilities.

Consider the basic facts:

* Two-thirds of minimum wage workers are women.

* The pay gap contributes to child poverty.

* The pay gap affects women from their first job through to their retirement.

* Female high school graduates earn 27% less than male graduates. Likewise, female university graduates earn 16% less than male graduates and the gap widens as their careers progress.

* A lifetime of lower pay means that women have less saved income for retirement and have smaller pensions than men, if they receive any work pension at all.

* 42% of elderly women are poor.

2008 is the 20th anniversary of Ontario's Pay Equity Act.

The Equal Pay Coalition is calling upon the Ontario government to support, strengthen and revitalize pay equity enforcement for Ontario women. This includes: