Women's Economic Participation
1. Employment
The Status of Women Office supports initiatives that enhance women's representation and economic engagement and participation, improving economic growth in the province.
Saskatchewan women had the fourth-highest average weekly wage of the Canadian provinces (after Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia). The average weekly wage in 2021 for Saskatchewan women was $950.29, an increase of $66.42 from 2019 ($883.47).1
Women's labour force participation has been continuously increasing over time, although it is still lower than men's.
In 2021, women's labour force participation in Saskatchewan (61.8%) was higher than the national average (60.6%).2
One in every eight women employed in Saskatchewan runs her own business, which puts female entrepreneurship in the province above the national average and fourth-highest among the provinces.3
100% of women-led businesses with owners from Saskatchewan having over 500 employees are located in Saskatchewan, as opposed to 57% of men-led businesses.
Between 2019 and 2020, the female share of self-employed people in Saskatchewan grew by 3% to 36%.4
Women are concentrated in occupations related to traditional gender roles, such as: health care and social assistance (81.0%); education services (67.6%); accommodation and food services (59.3%) and finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (58.2%).5
Women are overrepresented in front line, esthetic trades, and service industry sectors, sectors that were the first to close and roles at higher risk of contracting COVID-19. Strengthening opportunities for women outside of traditional roles will grow Saskatchewan's economy.
2. Educational Attainment
The Status of Women Office continues to support women's educational attainment in Saskatchewan through collaboration with ministries such as Immigration and Career Training and Advanced Education.
Women are underrepresented in traditionally male-dominated trades programs such as: sheet metal workers (1%); plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (3%); and machinists (3%).6
Women are over-represented in traditionally female-dominated trades programs such as: hairstylists and estheticians (95%) and food service (69%).7
Indigenous women's employment increases with higher levels of educational attainment. Women with higher education levels faced fewer job losses during COVID-19 than those with lower education levels. Women without a high school diploma lost 6% of jobs, whereas those above a bachelor's degree lost 2% of jobs.8
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1 Statistics Canada Table 14-10-0340-01
2 Statistics Canada Table 14-10-0327-01
3 Data obtained from Ministry of Immigration and Career Training, Government of Saskatchewan
4 WESK 2018 PwC Report Women Entrepreneurship in Canada. From McKinsey Global Institute, 2018
5 Statistics Canada, Labour force characteristics by province, monthly, sex, 15 years and over, 2021
6 Statistics Canada, Number of apprenticeship program registrations, by province, sex, 2015-2019
7 Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0287-03 Labour force characteristics by province, monthly, seasonally adjusted
8 Statistics Canada, Labour force characteristics by province, educational attainment, sex, 15 years and over, 2021