Women in trades push for change in Ontario, saying isolation, discrimination still a problem

Women in construction and trades say they continue to face isolation, discrimination and other barriers that must be addressed if the industry and the province want more of them in the field.

Despite efforts by the province of Ontario and the industry to recruit more women and fill labour gaps, workers and advocates say women still face many challenges on the job, including social isolation, a lack of mentorship, scarce childcare options, inadequate bathrooms and harassment. 

Samara Sampson, co-founder of Women on Site (WOS), a networking and community group for women and underrepresented groups in the trades, says she sees more women on work sites than when she first started in the field, but not enough is being done to support them.

Once, Sampson says she walked onto a job site and someone remarked, "'It's a little bit early on in the project to have the cleaners come to the site' — when I'm wearing a tool belt, I've got a shirt on that says 'sheet metal worker,'" she said.

"A cleaner is an important job on site, but it's not the title that I hold." 

Brampton millwright and WOS member Cheryl Rowe says there's a "vast difference" in the attitudes and work conditions that exist now than in the past. Still, she says, more must be done if the industry wants to capitalize on an "untapped resource."

"You want to feel comfortable and safe where you're working...  a lot of us are just so burnt out," Rowe said.

In a statement to CBC Toronto, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini said the province is removing barriers for women and "cracking down on virtual harassment, improving clean washroom standards, and requiring properly fitted protective equipment.

"We've also introduced a new 16-week job-protected parental leave for adoptive parents and parents through surrogacy because you shouldn't have to choose between being a worker and a parent."

According to the Canadian Association of Women in Construction, women make up about five per cent of construction workers on-site nationally, despite industry efforts to hire more women. Mulisius Joe, the regional project coordinator with the Carpenters' Regional Council's Apprentice Integration and Development program, says mentorship is critical to retaining women in trades and helping them succeed.

"Mentoring helps to encourage women to keep going, especially when they're having a difficult day or dealing with a difficult situation on site."

Sampson says many women are the only ones on their job site and end up feeling like they don't belong there either because of coworkers' direct or indirect actions. She describes it as "1,000 little paper cuts."

Rowe says she joined Sampson's group because it was important to have people "who understand what you're going through."

During her apprenticeship, some men told her she didn't belong there, and now she's the only woman out of over 150 millwrights where she works.