Ontario Wants at Least 40 % Women on Provincial Boards by 2019

The Ontario government has set gender-diversity targets that would see women make up at least 40 per cent of all appointments to every provincial board and agency by 2019. Premier Kathleen Wynne said removing barriers to women in the workplace remains a “formidable task,” but if the targets are not met, the government will consider regulations or legislation. The government also wants businesses to set a target of appointing 30 per cent of spots on their boards of directors to women by the end of 2017 – and they should reach this goal within three to five years. Ms. Wynne announced the targets Tuesday at an event at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. She was responding to a report released Tuesday by Catalyst, a global non-profit organization that advocates for women in the workplace. The government commissioned the Catalyst report, which made 11 recommendations. Ms. Wynne accepted all of them – including setting these targets.