Working mothers are still more likely than fathers to prioritize parenting at the expense of their careers, despite new policies to make childcare more affordable and encourage paternal leave, Statistics Canada’s July labour force survey shows. 

More than 18 per cent of mothers between 25 and 54 years old with children ages 12 and younger reduced their regular work hours over the last 12 months. That’s nearly double the 10.1 per cent of fathers who said they cut their hours. 

Nearly 15 per cent of mothers opted not to apply for a promotion. That’s little changed since Statistics Canada last asked the questions in September 2022, though slightly more fathers (8.3 per cent, up from 7.1 per cent) didn’t apply for higher-paying jobs, either. Mothers were also more likely than fathers to turn down promotions when they were offered. Overall, 40.6 per cent of mothers made a job-related decision that prioritized childcare over their career, unchanged from 2022. 

A parental paradox: “None of this is really surprising, sadly,” said Lechin Lu, associate director at the University of Toronto’s Institute for Gender and the Economy. She said the institute’s research on women in the workforce over the last decade reflects Statistics Canada’s latest data. That’s despite government policies like $10-a-day care and use-it-or-lose-it parental-leave pay meant to encourage fathers to take time off with their newborns. 

Something’s not working: Lu said social expectations are a major reason why traditional parental norms have been slow to change when it comes to the labour force. “Especially in some male-dominated fields, we’ve seen research showing some men not taking advantage of these policies because they fear it would impact their career progression,” she said. “The expectation for women is that you would take the leave.” 

With fathers often paid more than mothers, it makes financial sense in many heterosexual couples for men to work more than their partner, said Lu. That, she said, creates a “vicious cycle” perpetuating the gender-pay gap, the savings gap and pension gap. “These issues have to be addressed when policies are designed and implemented.”