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graphic

Gender pay gaps at several major Canadian firms grew larger in 2018, according to disclosure data out of Britain.

Median hourly earnings for women, as a percentage of men’s pay, declined at the British operations of such companies as SNC-Lavalin Inc. and Toronto-Dominion Bank. For most firms, the 2018 pay gaps were largely similar to the year before.

The British data is significant because it provides a rare glimpse into pay equity at major Canadian companies, including giants of banking, engineering and technology. Canada does not have an equivalent disclosure system as Britain does.

This is the second consecutive year that large organizations in Britain have been required to disclose gender pay-equity figures. Under the rule, private-sector firms with 250 or more employees in Britain must calculate and publish several metrics, including hourly and bonus pay gaps, and the distribution of men and women at wage quartiles. The deadline to provide data was Thursday, and figures reflect pay as of one year ago.

The data are not perfect. The filings do not reflect whether men and women are receiving equal pay for equal work. Further, a Canadian company’s British work force may differ greatly from that of back home.

Regardless, the results generally show that as wages increase, fewer women work in those well-paid positions.

One standout company is Lululemon Athletica Inc. Both years, the retailer has paid women slightly more than men, as measured by median hourly pay. (The median is the middle number in a sorted list.) But that doesn’t reflect the full story. When measured by average hourly pay, women lag men by a substantial margin.

The following graphic shows the median hourly pay for women at select Canadian companies, expressed as a percentage of men’s pay. Figures below 100 per cent indicate the typical female employee is paid less than the typical male. Where the lines slope upward, the pay gap narrowed in 2018 from the year prior.

As you’ll see, pay equity is a decidedly rare thing.

Gender pay gap

Median hourly pay for women as a percentage

of men’s pay.

Atkins

(owned by SNC-Lavalin)

120%

100

80

80%

80%

60

40

2017

2018

Bank of Nova Scotia

120%

100

80

65%

63%

60

40

2017

2018

BlackBerry UK

120%

100

84.2%

80

70.8%

60

40

2017

2018

BlueBay Asset Management

(owned by RBC)

120%

100

91.2%

84.6%

80

60

40

2017

2018

Bombardier Transportation

(Rolling Stock) UK

120%

100

91.6%

91.5%

80

60

40

2017

2018

BMO Asset Management*

120%

100

80

67.6%

66%

60

40

2017

2018

Bombardier Transportation UK

120%

100

97.9%

93%

80

60

40

2017

2018

CGI IT UK

120%

100

85.8%

83%

80

60

40

2017

2018

Colliers International

Property Consultants

120%

100

80

60

59%

56.1%

40

2017

2018

Lululemon Athletica UK

120%

103.2%

101.1%

100

80

60

40

2017

2018

Open Text UK

120%

100

80

75.7%

72.2%

60

40

2017

2018

RBC Europe

120%

100

80

60

45%

43%

40

2017

2018

RBC Investor Services Trust

120%

100

80

73%

72%

60

40

2017

2018

Royal Bank of Canada

120%

100

80

71%

70%

60

40

2017

2018

SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit

120%

100

80

60%

60

58%

40

2017

2018

Toronto-Dominion Bank

120%

100

80

60

52.1%

50.1%

40

2017

2018

WSP Management Services

120%

100

80

68.7%

65.8%

60

40

2017

2018

WSP UK

120%

100

80

77.2%

72.9%

60

40

2017

2018

*Renamed from F&C Asset Management the previous

year.

Note: Company names as they appear in the U.K. filings.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: GOV.UK

Gender pay gap

Median hourly pay for women as a percentage

of men’s pay.

Atkins

(owned by SNC-Lavalin)

120%

100

80

80%

80%

60

40

2017

2018

Bank of Nova Scotia

120%

100

80

65%

63%

60

40

2017

2018

BlackBerry UK

120%

100

84.2%

80

70.8%

60

40

2017

2018

BlueBay Asset Management

(owned by RBC)

120%

100

91.2%

84.6%

80

60

40

2017

2018

Bombardier Transportation

(Rolling Stock) UK

120%

100

91.6%

91.5%

80

60

40

2017

2018

BMO Asset Management*

120%

100

80

67.6%

66%

60

40

2017

2018

Bombardier Transportation UK

120%

100

97.9%

93%

80

60

40

2017

2018

CGI IT UK

120%

100

85.8%

83%

80

60

40

2017

2018

Colliers International

Property Consultants

120%

100

80

60

59%

56.1%

40

2017

2018

Lululemon Athletica UK

120%

103.2%

101.1%

100

80

60

40

2017

2018

Open Text UK

120%

100

80

75.7%

72.2%

60

40

2017

2018

RBC Europe

120%

100

80

60

45%

43%

40

2017

2018

RBC Investor Services Trust

120%

100

80

73%

72%

60

40

2017

2018

Royal Bank of Canada

120%

100

80

71%

70%

60

40

2017

2018

SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit

120%

100

80

60%

60

58%

40

2017

2018

Toronto-Dominion Bank

120%

100

80

60

52.1%

50.1%

40

2017

2018

WSP Management Services

120%

100

80

68.7%

65.8%

60

40

2017

2018

WSP UK

120%

100

80

77.2%

72.9%

60

40

2017

2018

*Renamed from F&C Asset Management the previous year.

Note: Company names as they appear in the U.K. filings.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: GOV.UK

Gender pay gap

Median hourly pay for women as a percentage of men’s pay

Atkins Ltd.

(owned by SNC-Lavalin)

Bank of Nova Scotia

BlackBerry UK

120%

100

84.2%

80

80%

80%

70.8%

65%

63%

60

40

2017

2018

2017

2018

2017

2018

BlueBay Asset Management

(owned by RBC)

Bombardier Transportation

(Rolling Stock) UK

BMO Asset Management*

120%

100

91.6%

91.5%

91.2%

84.6%

80

67.6%

66%

60

40

2017

2018

2017

2018

2017

2018

Colliers International

Property Consultants

Bombardier Transportation UK

CGI IT UK

120%

100

97.9%

93%

85.8%

83%

80

60

59%

56.1%

40

2017

2018

2017

2018

2017

2018

Open Text UK

RBC Europe

Lululemon Athletica UK

120%

103.2%

101.1%

100

80

75.7%

72.2%

60

45%

43%

40

2017

2018

2017

2018

2017

2018

RBC Investor Services Trust

Royal Bank of Canada

SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit

120%

100

80

73%

72%

71%

70%

60%

60

58%

40

2017

2018

2017

2018

2017

2018

Toronto-Dominion Bank

WSP Management Services

WSP UK

120%

100

80

77.2%

72.9%

68.7%

65.8%

60

52.1%

50.1%

40

2017

2018

2017

2018

2017

2018

*Renamed from F&C Asset Management the previous year.

Note: Company names as they appear in the U.K. filings.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: GOV.UK



Next up is the distribution of women, by pay quartile. For each company, wages are ordered and then split into four groups of equivalent size. The first quartile includes the lowest wages, proceeding to the fourth quartile, which has the largest.

Again, Lululemon is a standout. It’s the only company in this group where women account for the majority of employees in the highest pay bracket.


Female representation by pay quartile

Percentage of employees by pay quartile who

are women. The first quartile is lowest-paid,

while the fourth quartile is highest-paid.

Atkins

(owned by SNC-Lavalin)

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Bank of Nova Scotia

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

BlackBerry UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

BlueBay Asset Management

(owned by RBC)

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

BMO Asset Management*

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Bombardier Transportation

(Rolling Stock) UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Bombardier Transportation UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

CGI IT UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Colliers International

Property Consultants

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Lululemon Athletica UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Open Text UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

RBC Europe

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

RBC Investor Services Trust

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Royal Bank of Canada

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Toronto-Dominion Bank

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

WSP Management Services

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

WSP UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

*Renamed from F&C Asset Management the previous

year.

Note: Company names as they appear in the U.K. filings.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: GOV.UK

Female representation by pay quartile

Percentage of employees by pay quartile who

are women. The first quartile is lowest-paid,

while the fourth quartile is highest-paid.

Atkins

(owned by SNC-Lavalin)

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Bank of Nova Scotia

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

BlackBerry UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

BlueBay Asset Management

(owned by RBC)

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

BMO Asset Management*

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Bombardier Transportation

(Rolling Stock) UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Bombardier Transportation UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

CGI IT UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Colliers International

Property Consultants

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Lululemon Athletica UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Open Text UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

RBC Europe

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

RBC Investor Services Trust

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Royal Bank of Canada

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Toronto-Dominion Bank

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

WSP Management Services

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

WSP UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

*Renamed from F&C Asset Management the previous year.

Note: Company names as they appear in the U.K. filings.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: GOV.UK

Female representation by pay quartile

Percentage of employees by pay quartile who are women.

The first quartile is lowest-paid, while the fourth quartile is highest-paid.

Atkins

(owned by SNC-Lavalin)

Bank of Nova Scotia

BlackBerry UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Bombardier Transportation

(Rolling Stock) UK

BlueBay Asset Management

(owned by RBC)

BMO Asset Management*

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Colliers International

Property Consultants

Bombardier Transportation UK

CGI IT UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Lululemon Athletica UK

Open Text UK

RBC Europe

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

RBC Investor Services Trust

Royal Bank of Canada

SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Toronto-Dominion Bank

WSP Management Services

WSP UK

100%

75

50

25

0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

*Renamed from F&C Asset Management the previous year.

Note: Company names as they appear in the U.K. filings.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: GOV.UK

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Tickers mentioned in this story

Study and track financial data on any traded entity: click to open the full quote page. Data updated as of 28/03/24 0:54pm EDT.

SymbolName% changeLast
LULU-Q
Lululemon Athletica
+0.8%392.57
BB-T
Blackberry Ltd
+1.34%3.78
BMO-T
Bank of Montreal
+1.12%132.24
TD-T
Toronto-Dominion Bank
-0.97%81.47

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