Canada expands pay equity, workplace inclusion measures

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Canada pay equity and inclusion

Highlights

The Canadian government is enhancing the Equi’Vision platform with an AI-powered assistant to help employers address pay and representation gaps in federally regulated workplaces.
Canada committed $382.5 million over five years starting in 2025 and $76.5 million annually from 2026-27 to Women and Gender Equality Canada’s Women’s Program.
Over 160 organizations received about $100 million through the 2023 Women’s Economic and Leadership Opportunities Fund, with some projects gaining additional Budget 2025 support.

Federal measures and funding plans

As reported by Canada.ca, federal ministers marked International Equal Pay Day by outlining current efforts to strengthen pay equity and representation in federally regulated workplaces.

The statement says the government continues to use the Employment Equity Act and the Pay Equity Act to require employers to build more diverse workforces and provide equal pay for work of equal value. It also says Ottawa is improving the Equi’Vision platform, including a new AI-powered virtual assistant intended to help employers and workers identify pay and representation gaps and find information to address them.

The government also says it has launched calls for proposals with Impact Canada at the Privy Council Office for two programs, Workplace Opportunities: Removing Barriers to Equity and the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Fund. Those programs are designed to back projects that reduce barriers for equity-deserving groups and promote safer workplaces.

Economic impact across Canada

The statement links workplace equity directly to labour force participation, economic security and long-term productivity, particularly for women facing overlapping barriers to advancement. Ministers say stronger inclusion can help more women access opportunities, build careers and contribute more fully to the economy.

The federal government says it invested $382.5 million over five years in 2025 and $76.5 million on an ongoing basis starting in 2026-27 in Women and Gender Equality Canada’s Women’s Program. It also says more than 160 organizations received about $100 million through the 2023 Women’s Economic and Leadership Opportunities Fund, with some projects receiving added support from Budget 2025 funding to continue their work.

Our earlier coverage of Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s Europe outreach detailed Ottawa’s push to strengthen economic and security ties with European counterparts ahead of the Canada-EU Summit in Montréal. The trip agenda focused on investment, trade and financial-services integration, and discussions on how AI is shaping global economic trends as Canada looks to deepen cooperation and resilience.

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