Case Study: Dismantling Systemic Barriers in Atlantic Canada’s Construction Sector
The Challenge: A Workforce at a Crossroads
The construction industry in Atlantic Canada is currently grappling with unprecedented labor shortages fueled by an aging workforce and a massive surge in demand for housing and infrastructure projects. Despite women making up 47% of the general workforce, they represent only 13% to 14% of the construction workforce in Canada. Research indicates this gap is not a matter of ability but is deeply rooted in issues of access, workplace culture, and retention.
The Initiative: The Women Building Atlantic Canada Summit
To address these challenges, the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Association (NLCA) hosted the WBAC Summit to explore practical workforce solutions and advance gender equity. The event brought together female entrepreneurs, executives, and government leaders—including the Honorable Barry Petten—to identify the systemic barriers that cause women to exit the industry prematurely.
Key Insights: Identifying the “Exit Accelerators”
The summit revealed several critical barriers that recruitment efforts alone cannot solve:
- Safety Beyond the Technical: While technical safety is prioritized, there is a lack of social-emotional safety for women on job sites.
- The “Pink it and Shrink it” Fallacy: Protective equipment (PPE) is often designed for men and simply reduced in size, which fails to account for different body types and can create actual health and safety hazards.
- Infrastructure Gaps: A lack of clean, dedicated facilities—such as bathrooms designed for the needs of women—remains a major job site deterrent.
- The Culture of the “Boys’ Club”: Women often feel intimidated in boardrooms and on-site, frequently dealing with unconscious bias and a lack of promotional opportunities despite their qualifications.
The Solution: The Inclusion Blueprint
Based on these findings, an Inclusion Blueprint was developed to provide employers with a roadmap for measurable outcomes:
- Cultivating Safe Job Site Cultures: Moving beyond sponsorship logos to ensure women are given actual leadership roles and that social-emotional safety is treated as a core business value.
- Intentional Networking and Mentorship: Facilitating networks to help women overcome imposter syndrome and find their voice in male-dominated spaces.
- Robust HR Frameworks: Ensuring small and medium-sized firms have access to professional HR support to implement clear policies regarding discrimination and harassment.
- Wraparound Retention Supports: Implementing practical supports such as childcare, flexible work arrangements, and clear leadership pathways to retain experienced women.
Impact and Future Outlook
The summit was completely sold out, signaling a high industry demand for these conversations. The provincial government has also begun integrating these goals into public policy, such as requiring local community benefits agreements and a minimum of 10% apprentices on major projects to ensure underrepresented groups are prioritized.
As industry leader Tonya Whittle noted, the goal is to shift the industry from a space where women have to “kick doors in” to one that is ready to welcome and retain them. The Inclusion Blueprint serves as the foundational document for this cultural shift, ensuring that Atlantic Canada builds a stronger, more sustainable construction sector by utilizing 100% of its available talent.