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Ep 30: Money Talks - Why Canada’s Economy Needs Women Now
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Money talks, and what it's saying about gender equality in Canada isn't pretty. We've left $180 billion of GDP growth on the table by failing to ensure women's full participation in our economy. That's not just a moral failing—it's economic malpractice.
Joining us once again to break it all down is Marwa Abdou, Senior Research Director at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Data Lab — and what she uncovered is nothing short of sobering. At our current pace, we won't see gender equality in our lifetimes, our daughters' lifetimes, or even our granddaughters' lifetimes. Canada ranks among the worst developed nations for pay equity, with women earning just 87 cents for every dollar earned by men—and even less for women of color.
The barriers are systemic and deeply entrenched. While male-dominated industries like manufacturing, resource extraction, and construction are making progress, they’re still far from being truly welcoming environments for women to enter and thrive. Women entrepreneurs face steeper challenges accessing capital, especially in the Prairies and Atlantic provinces, where support ecosystems are thinner and traditional industries dominate. And while we talk about diversity and inclusion, too often it remains performative rather than transformative.
Real accountability means embedding equity goals into how organizations evaluate power, performance, and progress. Marwa suggests, this means linking diversity targets to executive compensation, establishing representation goals that reflect talent pool demographics rather than maintaining the status quo, and implementing rigorous audit systems. We need to move beyond training sessions and toward structural change that recognizes women's economic participation isn't optional—it's essential.
For young women considering entrepreneurship, Marwa’s message is clear: "You belong here, even if it doesn't feel like it yet. The business world perhaps wasn't built with you in mind, but that doesn't mean you can't build something extraordinary within it." Start messy, start small, but start—and demand not just inclusion, but the opportunity to lead and transform.
Listen now to explore how accelerating gender equality isn't just about doing what's right—it's about building the resilient, innovative economy Canada needs.
Check out Marwa Abdou’s work here:
Barely Breaking Ground: The Slow Stride of Progress for Women in Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship: https://businessdatalab.ca/publications/barely-breaking-ground/
Women Entrepreneurs: Canada’s Biggest Missed Business Opportunity: https://businessdatalab.ca/publications/women-entrepreneurs-canadas-biggest-missed-business-opportunity/
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By Julia PennellaSend us a text
Money talks, and what it's saying about gender equality in Canada isn't pretty. We've left $180 billion of GDP growth on the table by failing to ensure women's full participation in our economy. That's not just a moral failing—it's economic malpractice.
Joining us once again to break it all down is Marwa Abdou, Senior Research Director at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Data Lab — and what she uncovered is nothing short of sobering. At our current pace, we won't see gender equality in our lifetimes, our daughters' lifetimes, or even our granddaughters' lifetimes. Canada ranks among the worst developed nations for pay equity, with women earning just 87 cents for every dollar earned by men—and even less for women of color.
The barriers are systemic and deeply entrenched. While male-dominated industries like manufacturing, resource extraction, and construction are making progress, they’re still far from being truly welcoming environments for women to enter and thrive. Women entrepreneurs face steeper challenges accessing capital, especially in the Prairies and Atlantic provinces, where support ecosystems are thinner and traditional industries dominate. And while we talk about diversity and inclusion, too often it remains performative rather than transformative.
Real accountability means embedding equity goals into how organizations evaluate power, performance, and progress. Marwa suggests, this means linking diversity targets to executive compensation, establishing representation goals that reflect talent pool demographics rather than maintaining the status quo, and implementing rigorous audit systems. We need to move beyond training sessions and toward structural change that recognizes women's economic participation isn't optional—it's essential.
For young women considering entrepreneurship, Marwa’s message is clear: "You belong here, even if it doesn't feel like it yet. The business world perhaps wasn't built with you in mind, but that doesn't mean you can't build something extraordinary within it." Start messy, start small, but start—and demand not just inclusion, but the opportunity to lead and transform.
Listen now to explore how accelerating gender equality isn't just about doing what's right—it's about building the resilient, innovative economy Canada needs.
Check out Marwa Abdou’s work here:
Barely Breaking Ground: The Slow Stride of Progress for Women in Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship: https://businessdatalab.ca/publications/barely-breaking-ground/
Women Entrepreneurs: Canada’s Biggest Missed Business Opportunity: https://businessdatalab.ca/publications/women-entrepreneurs-canadas-biggest-missed-business-opportunity/