A new survey from the Ontario Building and Construction Tradeswomen (OBCT) finds both encouraging progress and persistent challenges when it comes to women’s experiences working in Ontario's construction sector.

Released at last month’s Ontario Building Trades Annual Convention in Windsor, he 2025 Recruitment and Retention of Women in the Building Trades survey finds that while most tradeswomen are committed to long-term careers in the industry, systemic barriers including harassment, lack of appropriate washroom facilities, limited childcare options, and underrepresentation in leadership roles, continue to affect recruitment and retention.

That’s a challenge at a time when retirements and sustained construction activity are placing never-before-seen pressures on the industry’s labour force. Data from BuildForce Canada suggests that the provincial sector will need to recruit an estimated 154,100 workers over the next decade to keep up with demands and replace retirees.

One of the ways it can move toward closing this gap is by recruiting more women into the labour force. BuildForce’s data shows that women currently represent just 5 percent of the people working in on-site trades and occupations in Ontario's construction sector – or about 14,200 people.

"Too often, women face avoidable barriers that push them out of the industry," said OBCT program manager Kate Walsh. “This new research provides us with clear data and practical solutions to help employers, unions, and government work together to change that."

The OBCT 2025 Tradeswomen Survey gathered insights from 342 women across Ontario and built on the findings of a 2022 survey. It also included interviews with employers and industry partners, as well as a review of academic and sector research.

Five key findings emerged:

1. Women are committed to staying in the trades. More than 80 percent of respondents said they saw themselves in the industry two to five years from now. More than 60 percent said they were satisfied with their pay and benefits, and with their work environments.

2. Women often discover trades later in life. Almost 60 percent said they entered the industry as a second career, with 54% saying they joined the trades after age 25.

3. Worksite culture remains a major challenge. More than half of respondents said reported experiencing workplace harassment, and half were dissatisfied with how their complaints were handled. OBCT says although that figure is an improvement from the findings in its survey, the rate remains high and undermines retention efforts.

4. Structural barriers limit participation. Almost two-thirds of respondent said they need better-fitting personal protective equipment and access to appropriate washroom facilities. Additionally, more than half of tradeswomen with children reported turning down work due to lack of childcare (57%) or scheduling conflicts (56%).

5. More women in leadership is key to retention. Two-thirds said that increasing women in leadership roles is the top priority for long-term retention, while almost 40 percent identified gender bias as a major barrier to career advancement.

The report calls for coordinated action among labour, employers, and government to strengthen recruitment and retention through 16 evidence-based recommendations, including:

• early outreach to schools and targeted recruitment of women and equity-deserving groups,
• zero-tolerance enforcement for harassment and discrimination on job sites,
• mandate or legislate anti-discrimination and harassment training in all apprenticeship, union, and employer programs,
• make industry-wide improvements to personal protective equipment, washrooms, and childcare solutions,
• set leadership targets and mentorship programs to support women's advancement, and
• provide accountability measures through transparent reporting on women's participation and progress.

"We can't afford to lose skilled tradeswomen to preventable barriers," said Walsh. "When women succeed in the trades, the entire industry benefits, from improved safety and innovation to stronger recruitment and retention overall."

The full survey results are available on the OBCT website.