Gender pay gap slowly narrowing, national survey says

Why the Narrowing Gap Matters More Than the Number

A three per cent narrowing of Canada's gender pay gap over one year looks modest, but it reverses a three per cent widening recorded in 2021 at the height of the pandemic. Canadian women in similar jobs with similar experience still earned 21 per cent less than men on average — a gap costing women roughly $15,000 annually, according to ADP Canada vice president of marketing Heather Haslam. The improvement suggests corrective pressure — from ESG commitments, public scrutiny and internal reviews — is beginning to take hold.

Since 2018, women's salaries have risen 15 per cent versus nine per cent for men. Average male pay moved from $66,500 to $72,700, while women saw a $10,000 annual increase to $57,700. Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Rakesh Naidu called this a 'catch-up' effort: companies are addressing long-standing underpayment of women as equity gains social attention. For freelancers, this underscores the value of benchmarking. Nigerian consultants serving international clients must understand not just local rates but how global equity movements reshape what clients will pay for comparable skills.

The Generational Shift: Why Younger Workers Won't Tolerate Inequity

One of the most striking findings is the generational divide in tolerance for pay inequality. The survey found 63 per cent of Gen Z workers and 53 per cent of millennials would consider leaving if underpaid compared to peers doing similar work. Only 37 per cent of Gen X and 32 per cent of Boomers said the same. Overall, 47 per cent of workers would leave, including 50 per cent of women and 44 per cent of men.

Haslam noted older workers are less willing to leave because they have more invested in their careers, pension plans and proximity to retirement — and have been exposed to inequities longer. Naidu warned that younger workers have more mobility and job options, giving them confidence to demand fair treatment. For freelancers, this validates refusing underpaid projects, sharing rate sheets and negotiating from data rather than fear. In Nigeria, where young professionals often enter freelancing through Upwork, Fiverr or LinkedIn, this mindset helps treat skills as assets rather than commodities.

What Freelancers Can Learn from Corporate Pay Transparency Efforts

Despite progress, the survey confirmed women remain underrepresented in higher pay bands: 33 per cent of men earned more than $80,000, compared to only 18 per cent of women. Yet 71 per cent of workers felt pay equity was a priority for their organisation — a gap between intention and outcome that freelancers often recognise when clients praise diversity while offering below-market rates.

Haslam tied this to historic underpayment of female contributions, noting employers sometimes offer pay 'at the level of what they think someone will take' rather than what the role is worth. She pointed to daycare workers — a female-dominated field caring for children — as an example of essential work paid 'barely above the poverty line.'

For freelancers, the lesson is to demand measurable action: written rate agreements, benchmark data and clear project scope. Nigerian professionals pitching internationally should request rate ranges for similar roles as standard due diligence. They can also close information gaps by using platform tools that compare earnings by job type, region and experience. To reach higher bands, pursue complex, high-stakes projects and build niche expertise that commands premium pricing.

Turning Equity Awareness into Freelance Advantage

The ADP Canada findings frame equity as a talent retention and acquisition issue, not merely an HR concern. Companies that ignore pay disparities risk losing skilled workers — especially younger, mobile ones — and freelancers can use this as leverage. When clients value retention and reputation, rate discussions become part of a fair, sustainable relationship rather than a confrontational demand.

Practical steps include researching local and global rates through Glassdoor, Payscale or freelance-specific trackers; documenting outcomes to justify increases; and walking away from clients that consistently undervalue work. In Nigeria, inflation and currency volatility make hybrid pricing sensible: charge stable currencies for international clients while offering local-currency options for domestic work.

Mentorship and community matter too. Networks that openly share rates, negotiation tactics and client feedback reduce isolation and empower freelancers — especially women and underrepresented groups — to challenge norms that have historically suppressed earnings.

What this means

The ADP Canada survey focuses on traditional employment, yet its lessons are deeply relevant to freelancers and consultants. The trend is not just a slow narrowing of a pay gap, but a shift in how work is valued and who demands fairness. For Nigerian freelancers serving global clients, this is both validation and opportunity: skills have worth, time has value, and the market — driven by younger, more mobile workers — is starting to reflect that. By staying informed, advocating with data and building supportive networks, independent professionals do more than survive the gig economy — they help shape a fairer one.