Gendered Energy: A Comparative Policy Analysis

Date: Thursday, November 12

Time: 5:30 PM - 7 PM

Location: Harbour Centre Room 2270, SFU Vancouver campus

Things to Know:

*As of November 1, 2026, BC will no longer observe Daylight Savings Time. The start time for this event will be 5:30 PM (PCT) .

*This is a hybrid event. To access the zoom link, please register with us under 'Online Admission'.

About the Event

The persistence of gendered pay and employment differences in the energy sector remains an obstacle for achieving a just transition in Canada (Natural Resources Canada, 2021). Of the twenty-nine countries analysed by the International Energy Agency (IEA) (2024), Canada ranks second best for the gender employment gap and is ranked the worst for the gender wage gap in 2018 (IEA, 2024). Thus, a disparity exists between the gender gaps in wage and employment in the Canadian energy sector.

This issue is further exacerbated by the dispersion of jobs in the energy sector, with most women working in non-decision-making roles, such as administration and finance (Clancy & Roehr, 2003). This poses a deeper issue as women generally express higher concern for the environment, are more likely to support environmental protection, and prefer to research renewable energy more than their male counterparts (Kennedy & Dzialo, 2015; McCright & Xiao, 2014; Clancy & Roehr, 2003).

This research aims to understand why these deep inequities are being observed in Canada through a statistical analysis of factors impacting women’s employment in the energy sector as well as in-person interviews with female decision makers in the energy industry in Canada and Norway to provide a comparative case. The final findings will shape a recommendation for the future of the Canadian energy sector.

About the Speaker

Alex Hinrichs is a master's student in political science at Simon Fraser University. She became interested in energy policy during her time as an undergraduate student and under the supervision of Dr. Anil Hira has been able to research in this area during her master's. Her current research aims to better understand gender inequality within the Canadian energy sector.