Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has partnered with WomanACT and the Society for Canadian Women in Science & Technology to launch a series of micro-lessons that harassment in the workplace.
Lessons will be available through CCA integrated partner associations.
The Safe STEM Workplaces project, funded by the Department of Justice, seeks to enhance prevention and response measures for gender-based and sexual harassment by directly confronting harassment in workplaces, especially affecting women. It is supported by Chandos Construction, Tandem Launch, and EllisDon, who are among many employers dedicated to nurturing respectful and secure work environments.
“The construction sector continues to invest in an inclusive and respectful workplace. We are delighted to offer this training to our member firms through our integrated partner associations across Canada,” CCA president Mary Van Buren said in a statement.
The interactive training series focuses on essential concepts, practical strategies, and actionable steps. Participants will delve into trauma-informed practices, procedural fairness, equity, as well as the nuances of gender, sexual orientation, and harassment, and will receive a certificate upon completion.
About 40 per cent of women worldwide experience workplace sexual harassment (Mayer et al., 2020), figures mirrored in the Canadian context, where reports of sexual harassment from women consistently outnumber those from men by ratios ranging from 2.4 to 3.6 times (Angus Reid Institute, 2018; Angus Reid Institute, 2014).
“Our partnership for the Micro-Lesson Training Series with CCA signifies more than collaboration; it signifies our shared commitment to reshape workplaces,” said Harmy Mendoza, executive Director of WomanACT. “We’re writing a story where harassment has no place, and equality and respect thrive.”
Since 1991, WomanACT has been a Toronto-based organization dedicated to planning and coordination. Today, we are a charitable organization working collaboratively to end violence against women and promote gender equity through education, policy, and community mobilization.
SCWIST is a leader in programs, partnerships, mentoring and networks across Canada for women and girls in STEM. Through innovative research, capacity building and collective advocacy, SCWIST has advanced women and girls’ participation and leadership in STEM since 1981.