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TORONTO — recently released the results of its 2025 Advancing Recruitment and Retention of Women in the Building Trades survey, which shows while there is progress, persistent challenges remain.

Presented during the recent Ontario Building Trades Annual Convention in Windsor, the new report highlights while most tradeswomen are committed to long-term careers in the industry, barriers such as harassment, lack of appropriate washroom facilities, limited child care options and underrepresentation in leadership roles, continue to affect recruitment and retention.

According to a release, Ontario’s construction industry will need to recruit an estimated 154,100 workers over the next decade, according to BuildForce Canada and currently women represent just five per cent of onsite trades and occupations in Ontario’s construction sector, with only 14,200 women working directly on the tools.

“OBCT was started by tradeswomen, for tradeswomen – so we understand the dedication and pride women who have chosen a career in the construction industry have for their trade,” said Kate Walsh, program manager of the OBCT, in a statement. “But too often, they face avoidable barriers that push them out of the industry. With this new research, it provides us with clear data and practical solutions to help employers, unions, and government work together to change that.”

The featured 342 women respondents across Ontario and is meant to build 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.

Here are some key findings from the report:

Women are committed to staying in the trades

• 82 per cent of tradeswomen see themselves in the industry two to fiv years from now.
• 65 per cent are satisfied with their pay and benefits, and 62 per cent with their work environment.

Women often discover trades later in life

• 58 per cent entered as a second career, and 54 per cent after age 25, signalling untapped potential through earlier outreach.
• Worksite culture remains a major challenge.
• 52 per cent of respondents reported experiencing harassment and over half were dissatisfied with how their complaints were handled.

Structural barriers limit participation

• 65 per cent of respondents said they need better-fitting personal protective equipment and access to appropriate washroom facilities.
• More than half of tradeswomen with children reported turning down work due to lack of child care (57 per cent) or scheduling conflicts (56 per cent).
• More women in leadership is key to retention.
• 67 per cent said increasing women in leadership roles is the top priority for long-term retention.
• 37 per cent identified gender bias as a major barrier to career advancement.

The OBCT report provides 16 recommendations, including:

• Early outreach to schools and targeted recruitment of women and equity-deserving groups.
• Zero-tolerance enforcement for harassment and discrimination on jobsites.
• Mandate/legislate anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training in all apprenticeship, union and employer programs.
• Industry-wide improvements to personal protective equipment, washrooms and child care solutions.
• Leadership targets and mentorship programs to support women’s advancement.
• Accountability measures through transparent reporting on women’s participation and progress.

The full report is available online at .