PWN MEETING
Women in the British Columbia
Labour Force: An Analysis

Half of the world’s and half of British Columbia’s population is composed of women, making up half of our potential labour force participants. The issue of addressing participation rates, employment, unemployment, and how to attract women not currently in the labour force is commonly seen as foreclosing for men. This perception is unfortunately incorrect. Given that the majority of post-secondary graduates and decision makers at home are women, finding, having and supporting more women in the labour force is a strategic and beneficial business move. It is also of economic concern, particularly as the impacts of an ageing population unfold. In fact, increasing participation of women in the economy boosts GDP, and according to the International Monetary Fund, translates to $406 billion for Canada & $52 billion for BC by 2025. 

Using publicly available statistics, the soon-to-be published Women in the British Columbia Labour Force: An Analysis assesses female participation rates, taking into account various factors including: 

• employment and unemployment
• not-in-the-labour force
• women in various occupations by total numbers
• part-time and full-time employment 
• income and wages 

It also offers some observations and comparisons to Canada, other jurisdictions and global trends.

Our feature speaker this month is Denise Mullen, author of Women in the British Columbia Labour Force: An Analysis.

This is a great opportunity to learn from Denise about the results of her research. Knowledge is power.

About Denise Mullen:

Denise has decades of experience in natural resource management sector. She has worked extensively with all levels of government, other stakeholders and First Nations in the development of policy, legislation, and the review and permitting of major projects.  She is an accomplished policy analyst, researcher, writer, project manager and administrator, understands that relationships are key to success and is committed to continuous learning.

In her current position with the Business Council she leads the development of policy positions across a range of natural systems that intersect with business development, facilitates conversations among members about issues that matter to them, keeps abreast of emerging topics and concerns (provincial, national and international), builds and maintains relationships with all levels of government, Council members and NGOs, prepares issue papers and conducts research, as well as supports the work of other Council Committees including energy and aboriginal. To see publications follow links for BCBC   Environment   and   Energy   Bulletin and BCBC   Blog. 

 Denise’s professional experience includes working in the public, private and non-profit sectors.  She was one of three process-specific experts who advised government on early environmental assessment legislation, regulations and federal process harmonization efforts. She has authored guidelines for project review, participant assistance, annual reports, stakeholder surveys and been a member of numerous multi-stakeholder working groups. She has contributed to a variety of environmental regulations, forest practices standards, land and resource management plans, and environmental standards for the mining and energy industry and water management plans. 

 Her project on Women in the BC Labour Force – a data driven study to be released in the summer 2016 – grew out of curiosity about what the numbers actually said. Some of her beliefs were confirmed and others challenged — all of this lets her pass on knowledge to her daughter and son whom she has always taught have an equal opportunity, as long as they put in the work and had passion and tenacity.  

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