Investigating the impacts of COVID-19 on low-waged lone mother workers
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted marginalized communities and workers around the world. Women working in precarious, often front-line sectors, many of whom are racialized, were hit particularly hard. We conducted community engagement with our members on the impact of the pandemic on their incomes, jobs, and careers. What we had heard was devastating.
In 2021, the federal government released a $100 million Feminist Response and Recovery Fund through Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) to respond to the impact of the pandemic on women. Our organization submitted a project proposal and was granted funding for Justice at Work for Lone Mothers in BC.
Engaging Lone Mother Workers Across the Province
We are delighted to release our research report, No Way to Escape: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Low-Waged Lone-Mother Workers in BC this March 2024!
Justice at Work was a multi-year project with the first phase consisting of participatory action research partnered with the University of British Columbia and Dr. Lea Caragata, UBC School of Social Work.
Led by a team of peer researchers - lone mothers with lived experience of the issue, the project is now completed and we are moving into the next phase identified by project participants: Our Way In. Our northern and rural BC outreach and engagement liaison in Prince George built our northern and rural outreach network to ensure geographical diversity and northern reach. Overall, we engaged nearly 200 lone-mother workers across the province.
Our data resulted in 28 recommendations to address the impact of COVID-19 on marginalized lone-mothers in BC. Our recommendations propose the expansion of key public policy including reforms and measures to safeguard marginalized lone mother workers in future disasters and address their pre-existing vulnerabilities as precarious workers.
Before the pandemic I was hanging on by a thread, but I was proud that I was hanging on, and finding way to make it work as a single mom struggling after years of severe and controlling IPV [intimate partner violence]. Each year since 2020 has compounded the hardship with the price of everything still increasing, while my income and ability to safely earn a living stagnated.
– Lone mother member on the impact of the pandemic on her well-being and livelihood
Project History
Following six focus groups, a pan-provincial survey, many one-on-one interviews, and two productive in-person research summits, the research team rolled up their sleeves, analyzed the data, and worked closely with project participants to develop a vision and action plan for the scaling and next steps of the project.
The Justice at Work project built partnerships, networks, and alliances with stakeholders in urban centers and rural and remote areas with a particular focus on northern British Columbia.
The Centre for Family Equity offers our heartfelt thanks to all our project partners and contributing collaborators, including Dr. Lea Caragata with the School of Social Work at UBC, UNITE HERE! Local 40, and the Worker Solidarity Network.
This project has been funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada.
