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Portrait of the Four Designated Groups in the Canadian Workplace

A Summary of the Data

As part of its mandate to ensure compliance with the Employment Equity Act, the Commission tracks progress in the private and public sectors in representation levels of the four designated groups covered by the Act: women, visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples and persons with disabilities.

The goal is to achieve representation for each of the four groups equal to their availability in the workforce.

In the private sector, members of visible minorities were fully represented, and the number of visible minority members hired was above their availability. Their representation is highest in the banking sector where they continue to make gains. Women, persons with disabilities and Aboriginal peoples continue to be underrepresented in the private sector.

In the public service, women, Aboriginal peoples and persons with disabilities continue to be fully represented. However, members of visible minorities continue to be under-represented when compared to their availability in the workforce. Last year, they received the lowest proportion of hires visible minorities had received over the last six years. Given present hiring trends, gaps will continue to increase unless assertive, dynamic corrective actions are taken.

An Explanation of the Data

The Commission generates its findings by comparing information from a number of sources. The representation of the designated groups at the inception of the Act in 1977 is compared with the most recent data available from employers. For the private sector, this is December 31, 2006, and in the public sector, March 31, 2007.

Progress is measured against the 2001 Census data on the employment availability of women, visible minorities and Aboriginal peoples. The availability estimates for persons with disabilities are from the 2001 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS).

These are the most recent data for employment equity until data from the 2006 Census and PALS are available. The 2006 data will likely show an increase in the proportion of designated group members in the workforce as a result of current demographic trends. These include continuing immigration of visible minorities, higher fertility rates among Aboriginal peoples, and higher disability rates due to the aging of the workforce.

In the case of the public sector, the Canada Public Service Agency reconciles the Census results to take into consideration the composition of the public service workforce. These estimates include only Canadian citizens, since the Public Service Employment Act gives an absolute preference to Canadian citizens when hiring for the public service. This policy accordingly reduces the overall employment availability of members of visible minorities from 12.6% to 10.4%.

As of March 31, 2007, 72 federal departments and agencies employed just under 180,000 persons compared to approximately 177,000 the previous year. The public service filled more than 15,500 job openings this year – 2,500 more than in the previous year.

In the case of the private sector, statistics are based on the Commission’s analysis of employer reports provided to the Minister of Labour as of December 2006. Since that time, additions and adjustments to the employer reports may have been submitted. Therefore, small discrepancies may exist between the numbers appearing in this report and those in the Annual Report on Employment Equity 2007 tabled by the Minister of Labour.

In 2006, a total of 517 employers filed data on almost 700,000 employees. More than 130,000 individuals were hired in the private sector in 2006 – approximately 23,000 more than in the previous year. Designated group members (women, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities and Aboriginal peoples) received almost 50% of these hires – the same as in the previous year. Private sector organizations covered by the Act include banking, communication, transportation and "other" employers, such as mining companies, museums, grain companies, and nuclear power corporations.

figure 3 represents the four designated groups, from 1997 to 2007, in the public service. these groups are: women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minorities. women’s 2001 availability rate for the public service is 52.2 percent. in 1997-1998, women held 50.5 percent of jobs. in 2006-2007, they held 53.9 percent of jobs. the 2001 census availability rate for aboriginal peoples in the public service was 2.5 percent. in 1997-1998, aboriginal peoples held 2.7 percent of jobs. in 2006-2007, they held 4.2 percent of jobs. the 2001 census availability rate for persons with disabilities in the public service was 3.6 percent. in 1997-1998, persons with disabilities held 3.9 percent of jobs. in 2006-2007, they held 5.7 percent of jobs. the 2001 census availability rate for visible minorities in the public service was 10.4 percent. in 1997-1998, visible minorities held 5.1 percent of jobs. in 2006-2007, they held 8.8 percent of jobs.

  • The overall representation of women (53.9%) was in line with women’s availability for the public service (52.2%) according to Census data. Women’s share of positions in the executive group rose again this year. Women now occupy 40.4% of executive jobs, up from 38.8% the previous year, and 25.1% in 1997.

  • In March 2007, women occupied 44.2% of scientific and professional jobs, compared to 32.2% in 1997. However, they continued to hold the vast majority of jobs (81.6%) in administrative support, just as they did in 1997 (84%).

  • At 8.8%, visible minority members continue to be under-represented in the public service this year. This was very little improvement compared to 8.6% last year, and much lower than the public service availability of 10.4%. Moreover, visible minority members received just 8.7% of all hires this year, down from 9.9% the previous year. In fact, it was the lowest proportion of hires in the past six years. Because shares of hires are consistently lower than availability, visible minorities will likely remain under-represented in the public service in the coming years.

  • The proportion of Aboriginal peoples in the public service in March 2007 was unchanged from the previous two years at 4.2%, but still above their availability at 2.5%. This past year, Aboriginal peoples received just 3.3% of all hires, down from 3.8% last year. In fact, their share of hires has been falling since 2001 when it attained 4.6%. Aboriginal persons include First Nations people, Status and Non-Status Indians, Inuit and Métis.

  • The representation of persons with disabilities at 5.7% in March 2007 was down slightly from 5.8% the previous year; however, it remained above the public service availability of 3.6%. As in previous years, persons with disabilities received less than their anticipated share of hires this year at 2.8%. Since the representation of persons with disabilities has always been higher than their share of hires, this is likely due to increased self-identification and aging of the workforce rather than to hires of persons with disabilities.

figure 4 presents the availability estimates and the hires for the four designated groups last year. these groups are: women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minorities. the 2001 census availability rate for women in the public service was 52.2 percent. in 2006-2007 women represented 55.7 percent of hires in the public service. the 2001 census availability rate for aboriginal peoples in the public service was 2.5 percent. in 2006-2007 aboriginal peoples represented 3.3 percent of hires in the public service. the 2001 census availability rate for persons with disabilities in the public service was 3.6 percent. in 2006-2007 persons with disabilities represented 2.8 percent of hires in the public service. the 2001 census availability rate for visible minorities in the public service was 10.4 percent. in 2006-2007 visible minorities represented 8.7 percent of hires in the public service.

  • Figure 4 presents the availability estimates and the hires for the four designated groups last year. Although women and Aboriginal peoples received hires that were comparable to their workforce availability, that was not the case for persons with disabilities and visible minorities. This situation has persisted for several years and it appears that these two groups have not benefited from the increase in hiring opportunities and the Public Service Employment Act, which gives an absolute preference to Canadian citizens and came into force in December 2005.

figure 5 represents women in the private sector in 1997 and 2006 in four federally regulated sectors: banks, communications, transportation and other. women’s 2001 availability rate for all four sectors is 47.3 percent. in the banking sector, women were represented at 73.6 percent in 1997 and 68.4 percent in 2006. in the communications sector, they were represented at 41.7 percent in 1997 and 40.6 percent in 2006. in the transportation sector, they were represented at 23.3 percent in 1997 and 25.4 percent in 2006. in the other sector, they were represented at 24.4 percent in 1997 and 30.2 percent in 2006.

  • Women held 43.1% of all jobs in 2006, down slightly from 44.6% in 1997. Availability was 47.3%, according to 2001 Census data.

  • Women continued to hold most (68.4%) of the jobs in the banking sector, mainly because of the large number of clerical positions. In communications, women held 40.6% of all jobs, a slight decrease from 41.7% observed in 1997. They hold 25.4% of all jobs in the transportation sector, an increase from 23.3% in 1997.

  • Some gains continued to be made by women in senior management. Women held 21.3% of senior management positions in 2006, up from 20.9% the previous year, and much higher than the percentage (14.8%) observed in 1997. However, their share of these positions was still lower than their availability (25.1%) according to Census data.

  • Between 1997 and 2006, the proportion of women in senior management positions rose from 18.6% to 28.8% in the banking sector, from 14.9% to 21.3% in the communications sector, and from 9.9% to 15.7% in the transportation sector.

figure 6 represents visible minorities, from 1997 to 2006, in four federally regulated private sectors: banking, communications, transportation and other. the 2001 census availability for visible minorities was 12.6 percent. in the banking sector, they were represented at 15.0 percent in 1997 and 23.5 percent in 2006. in the communications sector, they were represented at 8.9 percent in 1997 and 13.2 percent in 2006. in the transportation sector, they were represented at 5.3 percent in 1997 and 9.4 percent in 2006. in the other sector, they were represented at 8.1 percent in 1997 and 11.8 percent in 2006.

  • The share of jobs held by members of visible minorities has increased from 9.7% in 1997 to 14.9% in 2006. This is slightly higher than their availability of 12.6% according to Census data. While their share of senior management positions has increased steadily from 2.8% in 1997 to 5.1% in 2006, members of visible minorities remained under-represented in these occupations compared to their availability at 8.2%.

  • Members of visible minorities received 16.7% of all hires in 2006, up from 15.0% the previous year. Since 1997, their overall share of hires has been consistently higher than their availability, although their progress has varied from sector to sector. This year, members of visible minorities received 21.3% of all hires in banking, but just 11.9% of those in transportation.

  • As a result of consistently high shares of hires, visible minority representation was highest in the banking sector. They hold 23.5% of jobs in banking (up from 15.0% in 1997) and 8.7% of all senior management jobs, up from 8.0% the previous year and over twice as many (4.3%) as in 1997.

  • Increases were also noted for visible minority members in the communications sector between 1997 and 2005, where their representation increased from 8.9% to 13.2%, and in the transportation sector, from 5.3% to 9.4%.

figure 7 represents aboriginal peoples, from 1997 to 2006, in four federally regulated private sectors: banking, communications, transportation and other. the 2001 census availability for aboriginal peoples was 2.6 percent. in the banking sector, they were represented at 1.3 percent in 1997 and 1.3 percent in 2006. in the communications sector, they were represented at 1.1 percent in 1997 and 1.5 percent in 2006. in the transportation sector, they were represented at 1.2 percent in 1997 and 2.4 percent in 2006. in the other sector, they were represented at 2.1 percent in 1997 and 2.3 percent in 2006.

  • There was no improvement in the representation of Aboriginal peoples – First Nations people, Status and Non-Status Indians, Inuit and Métis – in the private sector in 2006. Their share of jobs remained at 1.8%, well below their 2.6% availability according to Census data. Their representation in each of the four sectors was also the same as in 2005.

  • The share of hires obtained by Aboriginal peoples in 2006 at 2.0% was also unchanged from 2005. Hires in all sectors, with the exception of transportation, were less than Census availability. As a result, progress in the representation of Aboriginal peoples in the private sector over the next few years will be difficult to achieve.

figure 8 represents persons with disabilities, from 1997 to 2006, in four federally regulated private sectors: banking, communications, transportation and other. the 2001 census availability for persons with disabilities was 5.3 percent. in the banking sector, they were represented at 2.4 percent in 1997 and 3.4 percent in 2006. in the communications sector, they were represented at 2.4 percent in 1997 and 2.4 percent in 2006. in the transportation sector, they were represented at 1.8 percent in 1997 and 2.3 percent in 2006. in the other sector, they were represented at 2.8 percent in 1997 and 2.3 percent in 2006.

  • At 2.7%, the representation of persons with disabilities in 2006 was unchanged from the previous year. Persons with disabilities have consistently received less than their share of hires in all sectors. In 2006, they received just 1.3% of all hires, up slightly from 1.2% the previous year and 1.0% in 1997.

  • Some improvements were noted. In the banking sector, where their hiring has been higher than in other sectors for the past few years, persons with disabilities held 3.4% of jobs, up from 2.4% in 1997.

  • However, in both the transportation and communication sectors, their share of jobs declined slightly between 2005 and 2006 from 2.4% to 2.3%, and 2.6% to 2.5%, respectively.
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