The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender inequality in the Canadian labour market

This thesis investigates the impact of COVID-19 on gender disparities in the Canadian labour market using LFS data from January 2017 to November 2021. The analysis reveals a significant widening of male-female gaps in employment and hours worked, especially for women with school-age children, due to increased childcare responsibilities. Triple-difference estimates confirm that these demands disproportionately reduced women's labour market activity. Although higher education levels, teleworking, and favourable occupational distribution mitigated some negative impacts, the pandemic overall set back gender equality in the labour market. Decomposition analyses highlight the roles of industry composition and health risk exposure in exacerbating these disparities, emphasizing the need for targeted policies to support women's recovery.