PSAC welcomes the new federal proactive pay equity legislation introduced by the Trudeau government. It’s an important milestone in advancing gender equality.

The new law recognizes that pay equity is a human right and that employers have an obligation to eliminate gender-based discriminatory wage differences.

This means 30-year legal battles to resolve pay equity complaints will become a thing of the past. Instead employers will be responsible for developing pay equity plans, and must do so with the equal participation of worker representatives.

The legislation introduced also repeals the former Conservative government’s Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act which took away key pay equity rights from workers in the federal public sector.

PSAC is also pleased the legislation:

• provides independent oversight and enforcement through a new Commissioner with the necessary resources to carry out their mandate.
• sets out timelines for implementation and compulsory reviews
• requires employers to set aside funds to eliminate any wage gaps

PSAC urges all parliamentarians to enact this legislation as quickly as possible. Women should not have to wait any longer to see the end of wage discrimination in Canada.