Opinion: Evolving beyond the boys' club in Canada's construction industry

Opinion: Evolving beyond the boys' club to build a more inclusive construction industry in Canada

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Written for Daily Hive Urbanized by Sidney Sheppard, a project manager in real estate development and construction who has worked with (and for) some of B.C.’s most prominent builders and developers. As a leader at SNFLWR Investment Corporation, Sidney is a highly respected voice in the industry and a strong advocate for equity and continued learning.

The construction and real estate development industries have long been led by male leadership.

While we’ve made progress, the reality is that women working in this field still face more challenges than they should in 2025. Throughout my career, I’ve experienced what it means to be underestimated, excluded, or forced to adapt to a workplace that wasn’t designed with me in mind, and I’m not alone.

Women represent only 12 per cent of Canada’s construction workforce, and only five per cent work directly on job sites. Leadership isn’t much better, with women holding less than 15 per cent of executive roles in the industry.

This isn’t just about the numbers, either. It’s about the everyday experiences that keep women from staying and thriving in this field.

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Fixing this isn’t just about fairness. It’s about business. A more inclusive workplace means better retention, a larger talent pool, and a stronger industry overall. Personally, I have been fortunate to have many fantastic male mentors in my career, especially now that I’ve matured and grown more confident in my career choices over time. From my experience, many men in leadership want to be part of the solution, but they just don’t always know how.

The reality is that inclusive companies perform better. They attract top talent, reduce turnover, and improve productivity. More importantly, they create a workplace where everyone can thrive, not just the people who have traditionally held power.

This was the topic of conversation with women in my network as we reflected on our career journeys recently. We discussed our early years in the industry, and while not all of our experiences have been alike, we all have faced challenges that should be addressed.

Exclusion from networking and growth opportunities

Many of the most valuable industry relationships are built on the golf course, over drinks, or at informal work retreats. Unfortunately, in our industry, these are the places where women are more commonly left out.

“Unfortunately, a lot of it comes from forcing yourself in, which men don’t have to do,” said a senior project manager in commercial construction.

A project coordinator in real estate development also said, “When I was more junior in my career, plans for lunches and outings would occur, and I found myself often being overlooked on invites because they simply didn’t think I’d want to ‘hang out with the boys’. While it’s generally innocent enough, we can’t deny that these outings are where relationships are formed and opportunities arise.”

When it comes to networking, we can be more creative.

I learned how to golf because I didn’t want to keep missing out on networking events. I love it now, but I don’t think it would hurt to do a cooking class with your colleagues every once in a while either, if I’m being honest.

One easy way male leaders can be more mindful about networking is by diversifying event formats or actively ensuring women are included in leadership-building opportunities.

Task discrepancy and assumptions about career trajectories

Women are still asked about their ages and family goals in job interviews. Yes, it’s true, and this is something their male counterparts rarely experience.

Parental leave policies need to be normalized for men to remove this bias in our industry, and leaders should challenge their assumptions about who is or isn’t suited for demanding roles.

In Quebec, where paternity leave is widely accepted, 84 per cent of fathers take it. Across the rest of Canada, that number is just 11 per cent. Changing this norm helps to level the playing field.

There is also often a disparity in the types of assignments for women, noted one of my past colleagues.

“Oftentimes throughout my career, I was chosen to take notes during the meeting, despite there being male colleagues (or even co-op students) who were junior to my position who would be perfectly capable of taking diligent notes,” said my former colleague.

Safety gear that doesn’t fit, and a lack of facilities

Personal Protective Equipment (P.P.E.) is essential for safety, but much of it is designed for men.

I want to do my job safely and be taken seriously, but that can be hard when I’m drowning in oversized gear.

For example, during a fall arrest course, none of the harnesses would fit me because they couldn’t tighten enough. They should be providing women’s harnesses in classes and on job sites.

Employers must provide properly fitted gear for all workers and not allow situations where women are unsafe, or feel like a squeaky wheel for asking for suitable safety gear. If that isn’t possible, employees should be provided funding to purchase their own approved P.P.E., which is what my current company offers if the “stock” items available are not comfortable.

Basic workplace needs are often overlooked. A Civil Engineering Technologist (C.E.T.) in the construction industry reflected on a particularly frustrating experience.

“When I started out as a carpenter, there were only portable toilets on-site. I asked the toilet company and the site superintendent what to do with used feminine hygiene products, and they told me I’d have to carry them in my backpack and take them home, as unfortunately blood is a biohazard and could not be thrown into waste bins and they could not be put in the toilets on site. That’s not okay,” said the C.E.T.

Another female former colleague added that the new B.C. requirements for flush toilets are a step in the right direction, but leaders must ensure their sites have proper hygiene facilities without waiting for legislation to force the change.

The gender pay gap

Women in construction trades earn 78 per cent to 89 per cent of what their male counterparts make, and even in management, the disparity remains.

A 2024 report found that female project managers are paid 10 per cent less for the same role.

This gap isn’t just about pay, it’s about perceptions.

Women are often penalized for negotiating and dismissed as “demanding” rather than confident.

Strong, equitable leaders proactively conduct pay audits and ensure salaries are based on role and experience rather than gender.

One of the things that drew me to my current company was that compensation was shared from the outset when the role was publicly shared, rather than determined after the successful candidate was selected.

How male leaders can step up

Because of some of the biases women face in the workplace, women tend to be talked over more in meetings or be less likely to voice their opinions. The strongest companies provide space to ensure all ideas are heard by leaving an open window in meeting minutes to encourage attendees to add their comments after a meeting, for example.

It is also important that we use inclusive language and update our company documents to reflect equitable progress. One of my first contracts ever as a project coordinator had a generic cover letter about the company starting with “To, Sir”. I didn’t say anything.

Now, today, my team feels a strong ownership to correct language in documents we receive that refer to he/him. It is a small detail, but using language so everyone can feel included is important.

The great news is that these issues aren’t hard to fix. A friend who is a senior project manager working in construction positioned it well: “I always mention to women in the industry that there are a lot of old white men at the top, but look at your peers; we’re on our way there and it won’t be the same for the next generation that comes through.”

I love her stance on this, and it is so true. The construction industry, along with many other male-dominated fields, is changing and becoming more inclusive for everyone. We are trending in the right direction, and we have to keep going.

So many of my male colleagues are amazing advocates, but there are still many in the industry who want to make an impact but perhaps just don’t know how.

Here are some simple ways that male leaders can level up their leadership of women:

1. Speak up to set the tone: If you see a woman being talked over in a meeting, stop the conversation and bring it back to her. If a colleague makes an inappropriate joke, shut it down. Culture starts at the top.

2. No more excuses for inadequate equipment or facilities: Make sure all workers have access to safety equipment and company workwear that fits, gender- appropriate hygiene facilities, and safe working conditions. If you don’t have the budget for these, reconsider your priority budget items because they are essential.

3. Review pay and promotion practices: Audit salaries regularly to ensure equity and ensure promotions aren’t influenced by unconscious biases about who looks like a leader.

4. Diversify networking opportunities: Golf and drinks are great (personally, I love these outings), but consider different team-building events like escape rooms, cooking classes, or mixed-gender industry panels. Make sure women are invited, have weigh-in on the activity, and are encouraged to participate.

5. Support parental leave and work-life balance: Normalize men taking paternity leave to reduce career penalties for women, and allow flexible work arrangements that benefit all employees, regardless of gender.

6. Offer more mentorship and sponsorship: Women need mentors and sponsors who will advocate for them when they’re not in the room. Be intentional about who you’re mentoring and most importantly, whose voices you are amplifying.

As an industry, we are making remarkable progress. With that said, this progress won’t continue without leadership from the men who currently hold the majority of leadership roles in construction and real estate development. Many male colleagues are supportive, but passive support doesn’t make the impact we need to truly create workplaces where women feel safe, heard, and valued.

Let’s make a collective effort and continue to make positive impacts for our industry. Not just because it’s the right thing to do but because your company, and our industry, will be better for it.

Let’s get to work.

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