Letter to the Editor

Every day in British Columbia, women make incredible contributions to our schools, workplaces and communities. Despite their invaluable roles, women in B.C. continue to earn 18.6% less than men and on average earn $5.90 less per hour than men. This is the largest pay gap in Canada and this is simply unacceptable.

Women have played a key role in our economic recovery post-pandemic, and a major part of that is ensuring they are paid equally as men. Over the last five years, the BC Liberal Caucus has introduced the Equal Pay Reporting Act — a piece of legislation that would require businesses of a prescribed size to report the pay gap between their male and female employees — on five separate occasions.

Each time, the NDP government has failed to call the bill for debate.

Women in British Columbia deserve equal pay and have long been promised significant steps towards equality by this government, but have yet to see any results.

As we reflect on Gender Equality Week and celebrate the significant contributions that women and gender-diverse communities have made to British Columbia, it’s disappointing to see the NDP continue to fail to follow through on their promises to advance gender equity. Despite promising similar equal-pay legislation in the 2020 election, they continue to be all talk and no action when it comes to delivering real equal pay measures for women in B.C.

Work is needed across all sectors in British Columbia to ensure inclusive workplaces, and that work should begin in our Legislature with the government taking action on equal pay.

It is long overdue for the NDP to move beyond the usual acknowledgement that there is a problem. It’s time for them to take some real steps toward achieving greater equality and opportunity for all.

Tom Shypitka,

Kootenay East MLA

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