Five-Year Diversity Study Reveals Persistent Representation and Pay Gaps in Canada’s Tech Workforce

Longitudinal analysis of 70 companies finds representation and gender pay gaps largely unchanged despite growing focus on measuring diversity and inclusion

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A first-of-its-kind, five-year analysis of 70 Canadian technology companies shows that despite growing investment in diversity and inclusion, workforce representation and pay equity have seen little change.

Produced by TAP Network in partnership with Mercer, the Diversity in Canada’s Tech Sector: 5-Year Trend Report analyzes demographic and compensation data from organizations that consistently participated in TAP Network’s annual surveys between 2020 and 2024. The dataset offers one of the few longitudinal views of diversity trends in Canada’s tech sector, providing rare, benchmarkable insights into representation and pay equity across the industry. The report was produced with support from Innovate BC, a Crown Agency of the Province of British Columbia that works to help companies start, scale, and succeed.

“Despite sustained effort across the sector, we’re not yet seeing meaningful progress in workforce representation,” said Stephanie Hollingshead, CEO of TAP Network. “That said, this period has marked a significant shift in awareness, measurement, and organizational commitment to equity — important foundations for long-term change.”

The findings show that gender representation across the workforce has remained largely stable over the five-year period, with women continuing to make up approximately one-third of employees and holding about 27% of executive roles among participating organizations.

Gender pay gaps persist across most job levels, although some narrowing occurred at management and executive levels between 2020 and 2024.

The report also highlights ongoing representation gaps for several equity-deserving groups. Indigenous employees, for example, accounted for approximately 0.8% of employees across participating companies, compared to roughly 5% of the Canadian population.

At the same time, many organizations expanded their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts during this period — including investments in leadership training, accessibility initiatives, and pay gap analysis programs — reflecting a broader shift toward more structured and data-informed approaches.

“These five years represent a period when many companies were actively building their understanding of equity and inclusion,” said Hollingshead. “The organizations in this study are among those that chose to measure early and take action.”

She added that while awareness and organizational focus on equity and inclusion have grown significantly during this period, translating that awareness into measurable workforce change requires targeted sustained effort.

“Over the past several years, organizations have built much stronger awareness around issues like bias, pay gaps, and barriers to participation in tech. Many companies have taken important steps to address those issues. But the numbers suggest we still need bigger and bolder changes if we want to see real movement.”

Hollingshead noted that emerging pay transparency legislation across Canada may help accelerate progress on compensation equity, however broader action will be needed to drive meaningful change in representation.

“Pay transparency laws will increase accountability and help address persistent pay gaps,” she said. “If we want to see real progress in representation, organizations will need to take bold, measurable action — from leadership accountability to inclusive hiring and advancement practices. Building a stronger, more inclusive tech sector is essential to Canada’s innovation economy.”

About the Study

The report analyzes demographic and compensation data collected through TAP Network’s annual surveys between 2020 and 2024. Mercer conducted the analysis using workforce data from 70 Canadian technology companies that participated consistently throughout the five-year period.

About TAP Network

TAP Network (Tech + People Network) is a non-profit association for People and Culture professionals in Canada’s tech sector. The organization provides members with access to tech sector benchmarks, industry expertise, and an inclusive peer community to support data-driven decision-making and leadership accountability. TAP Network’s 1,000 members represent 250 technology companies across multiple subsectors.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260407736555/en/

Contacts

Media Contact
Stephanie Hollingshead
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Tech+People (TAP) Network
stephanie@tapnetwork.ca

The post Five-Year Diversity Study Reveals Persistent Representation and Pay Gaps in Canada’s Tech Workforce appeared first on Montreal Gazette.