Opinion: B.C.'s political leaders must prioritize advancing gender equality in this election

With B.C.’s provincial election imminent, parties are presenting their ideas to strengthen our province, protect it from threats and build a better future for residents.

While the focus seems to be on external economic challenges and trade tensions, B.C.’s leaders can’t forget the deep-rooted realities that have existed for British Columbians long before these issues rose to the forefront. There’s a critical opportunity here at home to engage women in our economic future.

Despite significant advancements, gender inequality remains a major obstacle impacting the lives of half of B.C.’s population and, ultimately, our province’s economy and prosperity.

Today, women in B.C. still earn 85 cents for every dollar that men earn and are almost twice as likely to work part time as men are. Barriers to workforce participation are exacerbated by limited access to affordable quality child care, as there are licensed spaces for only 25 per cent of children in Metro Vancouver.

Meanwhile, intimate partner violence disproportionately affects women and girls, with 48 per cent experiencing it since the age of 15 in this province. And, while everyone has felt the impacts of inflation, rates of women experiencing homelessness in B.C. rose nearly 50 per cent from 2019 to 2024.

These realities are barriers to economic security, safety and stability too. For people navigating intersecting barriers like race, sexual orientation, ability or age, these realities are even more pronounced.

Gender equality is fundamental to B.C.’s social and economic success — when women are safe and economically secure, everyone benefits. In the lead-up to this election, our political leaders must prioritize advancing gender equality.

To reduce barriers to stable, well-paying careers, we need more supports for women. For example, women represent just over five per cent of B.C.’s construction workforce, primarily because of gender stereotypes, workplace stigma and concerns about psychological and physical safety in traditionally male-dominated workplaces. As our province looks to deliver major projects to strengthen our economy, we must ensure women have the opportunity to be included in this workforce.

We have heard from YWCA program participants that access to mentorship, training and practical support has made a significant difference in their career trajectory. The solution isn’t as simple as recruiting more women in specific industries, it’s ensuring they can thrive in them.

Access to quality, affordable child care is also critical to ensuring women can participate in full-time work. Figures from the province in 2008 showed women were nine times more likely than men to say child-care responsibilities prevented them from pursuing full-time employment.

Since then, a concerted effort to increase child-care spaces in the province through ChildCareBC, which launched in 2018, aligned with a rise in full-time employment for women with children under the age of 12. In 2018, that rate was 69 per cent and by 2025 it rose to 76 per cent. We need our provincial leaders to recognize this connection and reaffirm its commitment to an affordable, universal child care system with low capped fees for all families.

Another essential cornerstone to ensuring economic stability is housing. Rates of homelessness among women are rising in B.C. Even so, these rates are likely undercounted, as women are more likely to stay with friends, family or in unsafe conditions to avoid sleeping outdoors. Increasing access to safe, stable housing — particularly for survivors of intimate partner violence — allows women to pursue and maintain employment, strengthening their own financial security and wider economic participation.

At YWCA B.C., we’ve heard countless times how foundational employment, child care and housing are. With them, women tell us they’re able to plan for their futures. They can provide for their families. They have more confidence to pursue their goals. And they’re able to give back to their community.

Gender equality is not a niche issue — it’s something that impacts half of the province, ultimately affecting our collective prosperity. By failing to prioritize it, we can’t create the thriving economy and future we all deserve.

Erin Seeley is CEO of YWCA B.C.