Women in the Workforce During WWI

Passage of the Minimun Wage in Ontario

1920

Post-War Job Displacement

1919

Formation of the Women's Labour League

1918

Women's Right To Vote

1916

Working Conditions

1914

The Patriotic Fund

1914

Women Enter Munitions Factories

1914

Most women's roles were limited to the home

1914

Women In The Workforce

WWI Timeline Significant Events

Hospitals were always overcrowded and understaffed, not enough beds for the wounded.

Working Conditions

Example

During WWI, over 2,000 Canadian women served as nurses at the front in Europe, playing a prominent but restricted role due to army rules and societal norms. Despite these limitations, they faced significant risks, with some losing their lives in the line of duty.

After the war ended in 1918, many women were forced to leave their jobs as men returned home. The government And employers pressured women to return to domestic roles or traditionally "female" jobs (maids, nurses, teachers).

Post-War Job Displacement

Impact

Many women who worked outside of the home during wartime lost their jobs to returning veterans. This was seen as a temporary necessity during the war, but its long-term significance is clearer now as it marked a turning point in gender roles in the workplace.

Limited Roles

Women worked hard raising children, looking after the household, and often looking after the family farm

Did You Know?

Some worked as maids, nurses, teachers, or in factories but most stopped working outside the home after marriage

A private fund that took donations from individuals and businesses to give to families of soldiers.Women receiving assistance were investigated to make sure they were respectable and deserving of help.

The Patriotic Fund

Did you know?

It was established in August 1914 by Sir Herbert Ames, a Montreal businessman and Conservative Member of Parliament.

Ontario became one of the first provinces to pass legislation establishing a minimum wage specifically for women workers.

Minimum Wage for Women Act in Ontario

This was a step toward economic equity, addressing some of the wage disparities that persisted during and after the war.

Additional Info

Ontario passed its first minimum wage legislation in 1920. The Minimum Wage Board investigated working conditions and wage rates in female-dominated industries.

Women in Manitoba became the first in Canada to win the Right to Vote in provincial elections.

Women's Right To Vote

Nellie McClung and her supports fought back by staging a mock parliament in Winnipeg in 1914: "Nice men don't want the vote".

More Info

The war expanded women's roles, and women wanted to use their new economic advantages to push for political rights. In 1918, all Canadian women were granted the Right to Vote.

With many men serving overseas, Canadian women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers, especially in industries that had traditionally employed only men. Once the war started, women began to replace men in factories, banks, and offices.

Women In Munition Factories

Fun Fact

The war expanded women’s roles, and women wanted to use their new economic advantages to push for political rights. Over 30,000 women went to work in war munition factories.

Formation the Women's Labour League

The Women's Labour League was formed to defend women workers and the labour movement.

The league played a crucial role in advocating for better working conditions and equal pay for women, contributing to the broader women's rights movement.

Extra Info

It made a greater recognition of women's contributions to the workforce.