When you think of provincial governments, politicians might come to mind. But the people really running the show work in the civil service. These are the employees running the pandemic response, executing health care policy, and in some cases running hospitals. They oversee post-secondary institutions and draft your children’s curriculum. They’re checking if your drinking water is safe, deciding which roads need repairs, and funding art projects. Provincial governments deal with agriculture, the environment, municipalities, natural resources, prisons and the justice system. Crown attorneys and judges work for the province. The tens of thousands of provincial civil servants in Canada are the people researching, writing and executing the policies that affect your day-to-day life. (They’re also the branch of government that can arguably do the most to improve workplace equality.)
Only high-income earners are included in public sector salary disclosures. In most cases, these disclosures apply to employees who earn $100,000 or more. In provinces with a lower threshold, The Globe removed the employees below that six-figure bar. Alberta is the only province that sets a higher threshold. In 2017, that number was $107,071. The province of Manitoba’s disclosure did not include the first names of employees, so it could not be included in this analysis. The federal government, territories, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island do not have public sector salary legislation, although some jurisdictions (like New Brunswick) release salary range information. (Universities and government owned corporations have a higher threshold.) The Globe’s data comes from the 2017 or 2017/2018, depending on how the organization handles its fiscal year. (Read more about our methodology.)
The Power Gap
Provincial governments were the most evenly split of all the four pillars in terms of compensation. This was true overall and among senior-level positions. (When calculating the gender divide among “power positions,” the Globe included the president in the overall representation number, but not the average salary.)
Overall gender representation
61%Overall average salary
$131,137Overall gender representation
in "power position" decision-making roles
56% Overall average salary
in "power position" decision-making roles
$175,150 
Breaking down the Power Gap
To better understand where women are in the workplace, the Globe assessed each entity’s gender representation at individual salary levels. Large entities — those with 100 or more six-figure earners — were examined with 10 bands. Smaller ones with five. Overall, men working for provincial governments outnumbered women at every echelon, but compared to other entities, the gap was smaller.
The top 1 percentile
For each province, The Globe analyzed the top 1 percentile of earners. On average, women were outnumbered about two to one at this level. Of the 98 women in this category where the Globe could determine race, 10 are women of colour.
Provincial government departments are heavily segregated
On the surface, provincial governments appeared to be a relatively equal work force compared to other pillars. It’s only when you dig into specific departments that the gender divide shows up. The Globe broke out 12 common ministries: advanced education, agriculture and fisheries, culture, education, energy, environment, finance, health, infrastructure, justice, municipal affairs and transportation. Men dominated departments such as agriculture, energy, environment, finance, infrastructure and transportation. Women, meanwhile, did better in areas that are traditionally viewed as female-friendly sectors: education, health and culture. (British Columbia’s disclosure data did not include department information, so it could not be included in this analysis.)
Gender split by major provincial
governments departments
(%)
B.C. overall
Men
41
59
Women
Alta.
Sask.
Ont.
43
57
Overall
38
62
42
58
20
Transportation
80
N/A
33
67
30
Infrastructure
70
45
18
55
82
27
Energy
73
N/A
35
65
27
73
Environment
41
59
15
85
Municipal
Affairs
29
71
N/A
49
51
Agriculture
and Fisheries
35
65
49
51
40
60
42
Culture
58
62
38
36
64
Advanced
Education
44
56
59
41
39
61
47
53
Finance
48
52
37
63
47
53
Justice
54
46
42
58
55
Education
45
60
40
55
45
57
Health
43
55
45
63
37
N.S.
N.L.
Overall
47
53
45
55
Transportation
and
Infrastructure
Transportation
33
67
Infrastructure
15
85
N/A
Energy
N/A
36
64
Environment
and Municipal
Affairs
Environment
53
47
Municipal
Affairs
32
68
35
65
Agriculture
and Fisheries
30
70
38
62
Culture
75
50
25
50
Advanced
Education
60
40
56
44
Finance
37
63
39
61
Justice
54
46
46
54
*Data omitted due to the low number of individuals.
Education
63
37
Health
44
66
56
34
Gender split by major provincial
governments departments
(%)
B.C. overall
Men
41
59
Women
Alta.
Sask.
Ont.
43
57
Overall
38
62
42
58
20
Transportation
80
N/A
33
67
30
Infrastructure
70
45
18
55
82
27
Energy
73
N/A
35
65
27
73
Environment
41
59
15
85
Municipal
Affairs
29
71
N/A
49
51
Agriculture
and Fisheries
35
65
49
51
40
60
42
Culture
58
62
38
36
64
Advanced
Education
44
56
59
41
39
61
47
53
Finance
48
52
37
63
47
53
Justice
54
46
42
58
55
Education
45
60
40
55
45
57
Health
43
55
45
63
37
N.S.
N.L.
Overall
47
53
45
55
Transportation
and
Infrastructure
Transportation
33
67
Infrastructure
15
85
N/A
Energy
N/A
36
64
Environment
and Municipal
Affairs
Environment
53
47
Municipal
Affairs
32
68
35
65
Agriculture
and Fisheries
30
70
38
62
Culture
75
50
25
50
Advanced
Education
60
40
56
44
Finance
37
63
39
61
Justice
54
46
46
54
*Data omitted due to the low number of individuals.
Education
63
37
Health
44
66
56
34
Gender split by major provincial governments departments
(%)
B.C. overall
Men
41
59
Women
Alta.
Sask.
Ont.
N.S.
N.L.
43
57
Overall
47
53
45
55
38
62
42
58
Transportation
and
Infrastructure
20
Transportation
80
33
67
N/A
33
67
30
Infrastructure
70
15
85
45
N/A
18
55
82
27
Energy
73
N/A
N/A
36
64
35
65
Environment
and Municipal
Affairs
27
73
Environment
53
41
47
59
15
85
Municipal
Affairs
29
71
32
68
35
65
N/A
49
51
Agriculture
and Fisheries
35
65
30
70
38
62
49
51
40
60
42
Culture
58
75
50
25
50
62
38
36
64
Advanced
Education
44
60
56
40
56
44
59
41
39
61
47
53
Finance
37
63
39
61
48
52
37
63
47
53
Justice
54
46
46
54
54
46
42
58
*Data omitted due to the low number of individuals.
55
Education
45
63
37
60
40
55
45
57
Health
43
44
66
56
55
34
45
63
37
The names of government ministries are constantly changing, amalgamating and rarely line up perfectly. The Globe has grouped ministries with overlapping titles together. For example, Alberta’s “Culture and Tourism,” Ontario’s “Tourism, Culture and Sport” and Nova Scotia’s “Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage” are all under “Culture.”)
Digging deeper
Below, you can explore the gender breakdown by individual provinces and within specific ministries. The Globe also broke out 12 ministries that were common across the country. It is at this level that the gender divide is most apparent. Men dominated departments such as Agriculture, Energy, Environment, Finance, Infrastructure and Transportation, while women typically outnumbered men in ministries responsible for education, health and culture.
= Read their responseThe Power Gap on leadership teams
The Globe used job titles to identify employees at the most senior levels: the deputy ministers, associate and assistant deputy ministers, as well as sous‐ministre, sous‐ministre associée, and sous‐ministre adjointe. By far, provincial governments were the most equitable when it came to“power positions” – the people in senior leadership roles.
Female representation in positions of power by entity
Below you can explore the gender breakdown among power positions in individual provinces and within specific ministries.
= Read their responseExplore the Power Gap
in these other public sectors
With reporting and research from Andrew Saikali, Stephanie Chambers, Tavia Grant, Denise Balkissoon and Tu Thanh Ha.
ADDITIONAL CREDITS
- Story editing: Dawn Calleja
- Design and art direction: Ming Wong
- Web design and development: Christopher Manza
- Illustration and graphics: Murat Yükselir
- Photo editing: Theresa Suzuki
- Data science consulting and verification: Lola Abduvaitova
- Data science consulting: Shengqing Wu
- Data verification: Tom Cardoso
- Michael Pereira also contributed to the project
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