More women are the breadwinners in Canadian families — but less so if they have kids

The landscape of Canadian families is changing, with more and more women taking on the role of breadwinner. According to a recent report from the Vanier Institute of the Family, women’s contributions to family income have been steadily increasing over the past three decades, aligning with their growing presence in the labor market. Statistics Canada data analyzed by the independent national think-tank further reveals that women now provide more than 50 percent of total family income in a growing number of husband-wife families, a significant increase from one-third in 2022 and one-quarter in 2000.

However, there is a catch. The report highlights that women’s status as the primary income earner is less likely to hold true if they have children. In fact, the proportion of women who earn the majority of a couple’s employment income decreases by three to four percentage points for each additional child. This phenomenon is known as the “motherhood penalty,” a term coined to describe the financial setback experienced by working mothers due to societal expectations and biases.

Allison Venditti, a human resources expert and founder of Moms at Work, Canada’s largest advocacy group for working mothers, emphasizes the deep-rooted belief that mothers should prioritize caregiving over career advancement. This mindset is reflected in how working mothers are compensated and penalized for each child they have. Venditti points out that the motherhood penalty perpetuates a cycle of inequality, where women are unfairly disadvantaged in the workplace and society questions why women are not having more children.

Sonja Baikogli and Jen Murtagh, founders of Maturn, a support organization for mothers transitioning into motherhood, shed light on the motherhood penalty as a significant barrier to achieving gender equality. They emphasize the challenges faced by working mothers and the impact of societal expectations on their professional and personal lives.

Despite the overall trend of women’s increasing contributions to family income, the Vanier Institute’s report underscores that women still earn less than men on average and are more likely to live with lower incomes. This discrepancy is further highlighted in a report by TD Economics, which shows that families with female breadwinners have lower average incomes and fewer financial assets compared to families with male breadwinners.

Marina Adshade, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia specializing in economics and gender, emphasizes that women continue to make significant financial sacrifices to have children, even in cases where they are the primary income earners. This disparity raises questions about the impact on total household income when women start to lose out on their earnings after having children.

Despite these challenges, there are reasons for optimism. More fathers are taking parental leave, and initiatives like $10-a-day child care introduced by the federal government aim to increase women’s economic participation in the workforce. However, Adshade stresses the need to shift societal norms around workplace flexibility, noting that both men and women with children require flexibility to balance work and family responsibilities.

In conclusion, while the rise of female breadwinners in Canadian families is a positive development, addressing the motherhood penalty and promoting gender equality in the workforce requires a shift in societal attitudes and workplace practices. By recognizing the challenges faced by working mothers and implementing policies that support work-life balance for all parents, Canada can move towards a more equitable and inclusive society.