Labour characteristics of women by the relative remoteness of their communities
Released: 2023-03-20
Women's economic participation and prosperity have increased substantially over the past decades. Yet, disparities continue to exist, both between women and men, and between diverse groups of women, including between women living in more accessible areas of Canada and those living in more remote areas.
A new study released today uses 2016 Census of Population data and the updated Remoteness Index Classification to assess the labour characteristics of diverse groups of women (i.e., Indigenous, immigrant and racialized women) living in communities of different degrees of remoteness. This report is the fourth and final report in a series on the socioeconomic and sociodemographic profile of women living in communities at varying levels of remoteness. It focuses on women's employment and unemployment rates, employment in full-time jobs, representation in industries and occupations, and employment income.
Overall, the results show that women's labour characteristics varied according to both the level of remoteness of their communities and their characteristics. For example, women's employment rates varied from one remoteness area to another depending on characteristics, such as Indigenous identity, immigrant status and racialized group.
Women's employment rate is highest in easily accessible areas
In 2016, more than 7 in 10 women (72.3%) aged 25 to 64 years in easily accessible areas were employed. As the areas became more remote, the employment rate decreased, reaching 55.5% in very remote areas.
The employment rates of immigrant and racialized women, especially South Asian, Chinese and Black women, are higher in remote areas than in more accessible areas
Although the pattern described above held true for Indigenous women, it did not for immigrant and racialized women, especially South Asian, Chinese and Black women. For example, 78.3% of Chinese women and 74.2% of South Asian women in remote areas were employed in 2016, compared with less than two-thirds of Chinese women (65.7%) and South Asian women (63.7%) in easily accessible areas.
Note to readers
The Remoteness Index assigns a relative remoteness value to each census subdivision, based on proximity to census agglomerations as a proxy for service availability. This tool groups census subdivisions into five categories of relative remoteness: easily accessible, accessible, less accessible, remote and very remote.
Data on racialized women are measured using the "visible minority" variable. In this study, Indigenous women are analyzed separately from racialized women. It should also be noted that, although not mutually exclusive, racialized and immigrant women are presented as two separate groups.
Data from the 2021 Census of Population were not available at the time that the report was being prepared.
Products
The report "Portrait of Women by the Relative Remoteness of their Communities, Series 4: Labour Characteristics," as part of Studies on Gender and Intersecting Identities (45-20-0002), is now available.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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