I'm excited to see what the progress plan uncovers about the economic well-being of women on the Coast, and interested to see the plan's proposal for change.
The progress plan is a local project (funded to the tune of $294,000 by Status of Women Canada) that aims to develop a community plan for improving the economic security of women on the Coast.
Although I don't see a wage discrepancy here at the paper between myself and my male co-workers, the latest Statistics Canada numbers show women across Canada make anywhere between 25 to 36 per cent less than their male counterparts.
You may read that line and think about picking up your placard and chanting "equal pay for equal work," or at least, that's where my mind goes.
If you're a woman and you just read that statistic, I bet you're angry, and I think that's a good thing. Anger can be productive if channelled to find a fix.
While there are statistics like that for Canada, B.C., even larger cities like Vancouver, there are no specific Sunshine Coast numbers, and that's something the progress plan aims to address.
But before we start to think the issue is as easy to fix as raising women's wages, we need to take into account all that determines someone's economic well-being.
Income, of course, is a factor. So are debts, retirement savings, home ownership and shelter affordability, to name a few.
These are some of the areas the progress plan will probe.
The project will take three years to complete. The first will be spent gathering information and compiling statistics. The remaining two sound like much more fun - they will be the try-it-out-and-see years.
Through pilot initiatives, the progress plan will put what is learned into action, trying out projects meant to address the needs of women.
One initiative that has already gained some discussion, although informally, is the thought of a micro-lending system where women could get small loans to cover things that come up unexpectedly. The idea was raised after casual conversations showed many Coast women don't have any savings for life's unexpected incidents.
The idea sounds like a good one to me. Right now my only "savings" is my $100 overdraft and I think it costs me about $10 just to use it. A quick survey of my women friends showed many don't have a savings account with any substantial cash in it, and no one I asked had a retirement savings plan.
I only have a few women friends who own their own houses and most of them got the down payment from their parents or they needed a co-signer just to get a tiny starter home.
For us the thought of buying a house on the Coast is somewhat of a laughable proposition. Remember that $100 overdraft savings plan?
I see a lot of issues on the Coast that could find a creative solution if given enough thought, and I'm counting on the progress plan to do it. No pressure.
The issue of economic well-being of women on the Coast is a big one and improving it won't be easy, but I'm glad someone's giving it a try.
To find out more about the progress plan or to get involved, email [email protected] or call 604-989-5097.
