International Women’s Day and Women in Construction Week
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By MCA Canada Chief Executive Officer Tania Johnston
Each year, International Women’s Day marks an amazing opportunity to celebrate women, challenge gender biases and create more equality in our workplaces. Across the country and around the world, there are tremendous stories being shared in the news and online. It is incredible to see so many industries and sectors taking part in this annual celebration.
At the same time, this week also marks Women in Construction Week, showcasing the opportunities available for women in the industry and highlighting the importance of women in construction. Since we know that women only make up 13 per cent of the 1.4 million Canadians employed in construction, events such as these demonstrate there is still progress to be made.
As CEO of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC), and the first woman in that position, it should go without saying that we are very supportive of these initiatives. But we also need to use these as a catalyst for a broader conversation about our industry and how we can continue to improve.
At MCAC, we are extremely proud of the incredible strides being made by our sector to engage with not only women, but all underrepresented groups in our industry. MCAC members across Canada are celebrating their diversity and inclusiveness, including in the lead-up to International Women’s Day.
As we reflect on the many stories we will read about today and this week, we should look forward to the day when these success stories are just a normal part of our industry’s diverse and inclusive fabric.
This Friday we are pleased to bring our female membership together for a discussion on mental health and coping with stress in the workplace. We ask that you please forward the opportunity on to your employees.
Now, more than ever, we must create an inclusive culture that is welcoming not only to different genders, but other cultures and religions, and backgrounds. If we can appreciate the challenges everyone faces, recognize our unconscious biases, and create a culture for open dialogue and conversation, we can create an industry where anyone can thrive.
