According to the latest study on the gender gap in Canada's biggest cities, it is not easy to be a woman in Windsor.
For the second straight year, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has placed Windsor at the bottom of the list, in 25th place, its annual "Best and Worst Places to be a Woman" survey.
Victoria, British Columbia came in first again, while up Hwy. 401, London fell from third place last year to 12th in 2017.
The study notes that the income gap between men and women is smaller than the national average, it says women still bring home just 75% of what men do. Nearly one in four women live in poverty compared to 15% nationally, and employment has grown faster for men over the past year. The centre ranked Windsor 20th for economic security, down from 18 a year ago.
An employee at the Windsor Assembly Plant, May 6 2016. (Photo by Maureen Revait)
When it comes to education, Windsor maintained its position at 22 out of 25. Women are more likely to finish high school, college, or university, while men are twice as likely to have completed trades training and apprenticeships. The result is not surprising given that a quarter of the workforce works in manufacturing.
The city rose two spots in the leadership category, even though there is just one woman currently sitting on city council, there are no female mayors in the region, and women held only 34% of management positions. The final mark for leadership is 22, up from 24.
Women in Windsor were among the least likely of the cities sampled to say they were in good health. Only 52% felt they were healthy. A third of women report high-stress levels.
Where Windsor fell significantly in the rankings was in personal security. Where the city ranked 12th in that category last year, it scored 20 this time. However, the author of the study notes the survey did not sample a large enough segment of the population to provide reliable crime rates at the provincial or municipal level. It does take into account the unfounded rate for police-reported sexual assaults in Windsor is 3%, compared to 19% across Canada.