Pay equity builds a stronger Canada

OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 18, 2026 /CNW/ -- In honour of International Equal Pay Day, Lori Straznicky, Federal Pay Equity Commissioner, issues the following statement:

International Equal Pay Day is a call for sustained action and continued leadership on pay equity. At this pivotal moment for Canada, pay equity is an investment in a more inclusive, productive, and prosperous country.

Closing the wage gap is about fairness. It is about dismantling historical discrimination that continues to undervalue and underpay women's work. The wage gap is even larger for women of diverse identities, who face systemic and overlapping discrimination based on gender, race, disability and identity.

The good news is that Canada has a systemic solution in the Pay Equity Act. It helps close wage gaps by requiring employers to identify unequal pay differences and take action to correct them. We are already seeing results from the employers who submitted their first annual statements last year. Roughly 20% reported owing an increase of about $2.40 per hour to their employees in predominantly female jobs. It may seem like a small amount, but those numbers add up. For full-time workers, that is an average of approximately $18 per day that women will now be making, which grows to $360 per month, or $4,320 per year.

This is the real effect of pay equity: it puts hard-earned wages back into workers' pockets. It can shape stability, financial security and well-being for thousands of women and for their families, both today and in years to come. That is why pay equity is a change maker in so many women's lives, creating positive ripple effects that reach whole families, workplaces, and communities.

Equal pay for work of equal value is a fundamental human right and a driver of prosperity, for workers, employers, and the broader economy. On this International Equal Pay Day, Canada will continue to lead the way on pay equity because paying women fairly is key to strong families, strong workplaces, strong communities and a strong Canada.

Quick facts

• We are already seeing pay equity progress from the 643 employers who submitted their first annual statements last year. Of these, approximately 20% reported owing an increase in compensation to their female employees – that is about 16,700 employees who were owed an average increase of about $2.40 per hour.

Related links

• The Pay Equity Commissioner's 2025-2026 Annual Report
• Key timelines for employers
• Pay Equity Toolkit
• How we can help

Stay connected

Follow the Pay Equity Commissioner on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
Watch us on YouTube.

SOURCE Canadian Human Rights Commission

Media contacts: Media Relations, [email protected]