Toronto creating its 1st gender equity plan, deputy mayor says on International Women's Day

Toronto is creating its first gender equity plan to address barriers faced by women, girls and gender diverse people in the city, according to Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie.

McKelvie spoke at city hall on Wednesday at an International Women's Day event hosted by the Toronto Network of Women (TOnow). The network is for women and their allies in the Toronto public service.

As part of her proclamation of March 8 as International Women's Day in Toronto, McKelvie said the city's gender equity plan follows the creation of the city's gender equity unit.

"This strategy will work towards equitable outcomes for women, girls and gender diverse people who comprise more than 50 per cent of Toronto's population," she said.

McKelvie said International Women's Day is not only a moment to celebrate women's achievements, but also to recognize the work that needs to be done. This year, the day's global theme is embracing equity.

"Although we have made significant strides in the way of advancing women's rights and equity, we all know that we still have a long way to go," McKelvie said.

"The past few years have been challenging. The pandemic has shone a light on the harsh realities faced disproportionately by women, and even more so, by women with intersecting identities, racialized women, women in the 2SLGBTQ+ community and low wage earners," she added.

"It is important that we acknowledge these unequal experiences of different communities and the injustices that are exacerbated by the pandemic and other crises. We cannot afford to lose our footing. We must continue to push forward together."

In a news release on Wednesday, the city said is "finalizing" its gender equity strategy and first term action plan that will cover the years 2023 to 2026.

The plan is meant to allow for "the development of new partnerships aimed at reducing gender inequities and track progress on reducing and eliminating gender inequalities in the city, while ensuring transparency and accountability."

McKelvie said the city is making progress in terms of gender equity across different sectors. She noted that Toronto residents elected 10 female councillors in the October 2022 municipal election. 

"I look forward to seeing gender parity in the years to come," she said.

As well, women occupy 49 per cent of city staff leadership roles and these positions range from supervisor to division head to deputy city manager.

Toronto also ranked first in a 2021 Bloomberg Businessweek analysis of quality of life for career women in 15 cities, performing well in such areas as safety, equality and maternity provisions.