Today, on International Women’s Day, the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) is pleased to announce that a record number of more than 7,470 women, more than 3.8% of the total workforce, worked on construction sites in 2023. This is an increase of more than 250 over 2022.

"On this International Women's Rights Day, I would like to reaffirm the CCQ's commitment to taking action so that women who have chosen and are choosing construction trades and occupations can flourish and contribute fully to building Quebec. I salute the 7,470 brave women who did so in 2023, a record, as well as the 4,460 companies that hired women as members of their work teams," says Audrey Murray, President and CEO of the CCQ. The next few years promise high economic growth, and we need a skilled workforce in sufficient numbers. To meet this challenge, the CCQ will work in concert with union and employer associations, businesses and diversity leaders to build a bold new EFAP to ensure that construction sites offer an inclusive and healthy environment. In fact, our first step is to invite all working women who have left in the last five years to respond to the survey that the CCQ will be sending out shortly. We'll be listening carefully to the solutions they propose.

Adopted in 2015, the Programme d’accès à l’égalité des femmes dans l’industrie de la construction (PAEF) is an industry action plan which aims to increase the number of women practising a trade or occupation, and thus to correct the underrepresentation of women workers.

Women in the industry in 2023 – some numbers:

• 7,470 women working on construction sites (3.8%)
• 4,460 companies hiring women (16.2%)
• 1,500 new entries into the industry (9.5%)

Women stood out in certain trades and occupations in 2023

• 2 trades, along with non-specialized occupations, surpassed the mark of 1,000 women: 
  • 1,820 painters (26.3%) 
  • 1,390 carpenter-joiners (2.5%)
  • 1,390 non-specialized occupations (5.2%)
• 3 trades and 1 occupation have reached at least 10% women workers: 
  • 1,820 painters (26.3%) 
  • 140 insulators (10.7%)
  • 420 plasterers (10.2%)
  • 150 land surveyors (10.0%)
• 3 trades reached or surpassed their PAEF target:
  • 680 electricians (3.0%, target 3%)
  • 145 roofers (2.2%, target 2%)
  • 10 millwrights (1.2%, target 1%)