The CCQ celebrates International Women’s Day

On International Women’s Day this year, the CCQ wants to highlight the contribution of the 4,800 women working on construction sites, side by side with men, building the Québec of tomorrow. 

The CCQ also recognizes the mobilization and efforts of all of the industry’s companies and partners that are helping to change mentalities on construction sites.
Five years after deployment of the Programme d’accès à l’égalité des femmes dans l’industrie de la construction (PAEF) 2015-2024, several indicators show the progress made through the actions and measures implemented in recent years toward successfully encouraging the integration of women into the industry:

• Women account for 2.73% of workers on construction sites, compared to 1.49% five years ago.
• More than 4,800 women are working on construction sites today, a leap forward of 111% compared to 2015.
• More than 1,200 women have joined the industry – the equivalent of 9% of all new workers. In comparison, when the PAEF 2015-2024 was launched, this figure stood at just 363.
• More than 3,300 companies have hired women, whereas only 1,949 had done so in 2015.
• Substantial gains have been made in some trades and occupations:
  
  
  • The trade of painter is the first to cross the threshold of 20% women. 
  • Four occupations and trades have a workforce of more than 7% women: surveyor, insulator, tile setter, and plasterer.
  • About 100 more women are working as painters and carpenter-joiners than in 2019.

In coming years, the CCQ will count on the mobilization of the industry’s stakeholders to accelerate a change in culture. An action plan for this purpose, including, among other things, issue tables with the partners, is already underway. The plan’s objectives are to make the industry and its study programs more attractive to women, to foster hiring of and job retention for women, and to create a healthier work environment by reducing discrimination, harassment, and intimidation. In addition, consultations are continuing in 2021 with a view to establishing longer-term structural actions.

Proud contributor to the new action plan to counter the impacts of the pandemic on women

The Government of Québec has just launched the Plan d’action pour contrer les impacts sur les femmes en contexte de pandémie. The CCQ is proud to contribute to this plan through a number of measures, including supporting companies that offer healthy and inclusive work environments and supporting the cooperation among national and regional efforts to encourage women to take up careers in construction.