Is Advocacy for Women in Construction Still Necessary?
// April 15, 2026
This was one of the questions being discussed last week at the 2026 Women in Construction Breakfast. This sixth annual event was held in-person for the very first time in Mississauga, Ontario to bring members of the industry together and to discuss progress and advocacy for women in construction.
Jen Mutas, BC Crane Safety Field OHS Manager, was in attendance as a moderator for the first panel of the day to address this very question: Is advocacy for women in construction still necessary?
While there was no hesitation from the panel and conference attendees that there has been movement in the right direction regarding advocacy for women in construction over the years, there still remains a lot of work to do.
The number of women in off-site roles across Canada is increasing however, women in on-site trades are still severely underrepresented, making up only ~3-4% of the employed trades nationally.**
It is clear that women in our industry need to continue finding their voices and working with their allies to continue the forward movement of the industry in the right direction for future generations.
Discussion on the panel revealed opportunities in both the shifting of company and industry culture and the need to address outstanding issues such as wage-gaps.
Two other panels were hosted, one on proper fitting safe workwear or personal protective equipment (PPE) for women and another on navigating gender bias in customer service.
The energy at the conference was palpable, highlighting many of these relatable and repeated issues for women in construction. Brainstorming and discussing solutions with such a great group of men and women was inspiring.
It was really something special to be a part of and BC Crane Safety is proud to be able to support and contribute.
