A growing body of evidence demonstrates that the impacts of COVID-19 are exacerbating pre-existing social and economic gendered and racialized inequalities. Data indicates that the effects of working and learning from home are disproportionately affecting women and that social, economic, and public health risk-profiles for women, racialized and indigenous communities under COVID-19 are significantly higher than for the general population
This is the context for two research projects initiated by the WIFT Canada Coalition:
The Family Care Project and Deciding On Diversity
The Family Care Project
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
Family Care Report exposes the critical need to implement balanced and equitable working conditions in the Canadian Film and TV production industry.
October 12, 2021— Women in Film and Television - Canada Coalition (WIFT-CC) in conjunction with Reel Families for Change Canada, have released the results of the Family Care Report—a cross-Canada survey that explores the impact of COVID-19 on child and family care for women in Canadian screen industries.
Download the Family Care Report / Download the press release.
The report concludes that the federal government should immediately call for an industry round table to begin discussions with unions and employers on the goal of implementing changes to federal labour tax credit policy to support childcare and family care by 2024, while simultaneously addressing the critical need to implement balanced and equitable working conditions in the Canadian production industry
Deciding On Diversity
A new WIFT Canada Coalition study explores the impact of COVID-19 on efforts to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in the Canadian film and TV industry .The study finds that despite the opportunities COVID-19 presents to do things differently, the Canadian film and television industry remains characterized by uneven, closed and defensive networks and relationships—to the disadvantage of equity-seeking groups. The report calls for a national screen industry data taskforce to inform organizational and policy decision-making and challenge the widely held risk perceptions that act as barriers to diversity and inclusion. And it calls for a zero-tolerance approach to EDI failures, with clear consequences as a pre-requisite for government funding and support.
Dr. Amanda Coles of Deakin University, Australia, and Professor DebVerhoeven, Canada 150 Research Chair in Gender and Cultural Informatics at the University of Alberta are the authors of the study.
Download the report/ Download the press release
Watch the TIFF panel discussion related to this study: The ReelTruth.