April 9, 2019 is Equal Pay Day in Ontario

Equal Pay Coalition says women are underpaid and over it!

Show Us The Money to close the gender pay gap.

TORONTO, April 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Equal Pay Day is marked on April 9, 2019 in Ontario because women need to work 15.5 months – 3.5 months into the new year – to earn what a man does in 12 months. Ontario’s gender pay gap is a human rights and economic crisis. The 2016 Census data shows that Indigenous women in Ontario face a 43% gender pay gap; racialized women: 38%; immigrant women: 34%. On average Ontario women face a 29.3% pay gap.   Equal Pay Day actions are organized in eight different constituencies where key Ministers could take concrete action to close the gender pay gap. 

The Coalition wrote to Premier Ford and Minister Lisa Macleod, Responsible for Women's Issues and Minister of Labour Laurie Scott to outline their plan to close the gender pay gap.  No plan was forthcoming.

“Its time to show us the money” says Fay Faraday, co-chair of the Ontario Equal Pay Coalition. “government must make closing the gender pay it a real priority to eradicate the barriers to women’s economic equality.”   "The harm to Ontario's economy from the gender pay gap is profound" says Jan Borowy, co-chair of the Ontario Equal Pay Coalition, "based on the government's own report by Deloitte says that the Ontario government would increase revenues by $2.6 million per year if the gap was closed."   

The Coalition calls on the government to show us the money to close the gender pay gap by taking five key actions:

1. Implement the Pay Transparency Act by May 1, 2019.
2. Keep the child care workers Provincial Wage Enhancement grant and fully fund universal, affordable, accessible public child care system for infant and school-aged kids.
3. Properly fund community agencies so workers delivering public services receive pay equity now.
4. Enhance enforcement of the Pay Equity Commission.
5. Raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour immediately.

The Equal Pay Day rally brings together advocates from community organizations and trade unions who say enough is enough. It’s time to recognize women’s economic equality.

For more information, please contact: Fay Faraday co-Chair, Equal Pay Coalition: 416-389-4399 or Jan Borowy, co-chair, Equal Pay Coalition, 416-985-2069  

info@equalpaycoalition.org
www.equalpaycoalition.org

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