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York female trades workers welcome women-only washroom mandate

Government to mandate women-only washrooms on construction sites and that properly fitted PPE be available

Newmarkettoday.ca
March 17, 2023
Joseph Quigley

York Region and area construction workers are welcoming government moves to make their workspaces more equitable.

The province has announced regulatory changes to mandate that construction workplaces have at least one women’s only washroom on worksites, as well as ensuring properly fitting safety equipment for women and diverse body types. The government will also require washrooms to be enclosed and have at least hand sanitizer, if not running water.

Karen Pullen, who is the chair of Ontario Building and Construction Tradeswomen and is affiliated with the Toronto and York Region-based Sisters in Trade, said the washroom requirement is a good step.

“I’m glad they’re taking a serious look at the ways in which we’re treated,” Pullen said, adding that washrooms have only improved slightly over the past several decades.

Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity Charmaine Williams said more equitable workplaces will increase women's participation in the workforce.

“Our government is taking action to remove barriers and empower women to excel in sectors where they are underrepresented – because when women succeed, Ontario succeeds,” Williams said.

Only one in 10 of the nearly 600,000 construction workers in the province are women, the province said.

Pullen said properly fitted PPE for women is not hard to obtain, but employers do not always make the extra time and money to ensure they are available.

“A lot of women don’t say anything because they don’t want to put their job at risk,” she said. “It’s time to get the employers to understand why there are different equipment."

Marjorie Ford, a carpenter in the Vaughan area also connected with Sisters in Trade, said separate women’s washrooms are a good solution, as long as they have keys to keep them private.

“If it is not locked, men use it anyway, as it is usually cleaner, and they leave a mess,” she said. “I don't mind neutral bathrooms if they are clean, and, on some sites, cleanliness is a big issue.”

Pullen said the government could take further steps concerning washrooms on site. She said having portable potties and hand sanitizer do not cut it for women managing a monthly menstrual cycle, necessitating thorough hand-washing not always on offer.

“It’s great they’re going in this direction, but they’re not going far enough,” she said.

Women are perfectly capable of doing this type of work, she added.

“Those that gravitate toward the construction industry are generally more than capable of holding their own and being good, strong tradespeople,” she said. “Just give us the chance."