Investigating the impacts of COVID-19 on low-waged lone mother workers
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted and significantly changed the work and incomes of lone working mothers across the country.
It is estimated that the economic fallout from the pandemic erased two decades of progress for single mothers. At the height of the pandemic, over a quarter of lone mothers with children under the age of 12 lost their jobs or had their hours significantly cut in Canada. And data shows that both before and after the pandemic, the majority of parents living in poverty in BC are lone mothers.
Through our multi-year Justice at Work project, we engaged lone-mother workers across the province to find out how the pandemic impacted their incomes, jobs, and careers. What we had heard was devastating.
Engaging Lone Mother Workers Across the Province
In March 2024, we released a first-of-its-kind research report, No Way to Escape: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Low-Income Lone-Mother Workers in BC.
Led by a team of peer researchers who were all lone mothers, our inquiry found the pandemic had a significant, negative impact on the economic situation for most of the low-income lone mothers in the study.
Three broad themes emerged in the research findings: child care and lone parenting, health and well-being, and economic impacts. Findings include:
- School and child care closures during the pandemic forced many lone mothers to leave their jobs or reduce their hours, impacting their income and later their return to the labour market. Access to child care continues to be a major barrier to accessing employment.
- Participants who had been self-employed or engaged in gig work often lacked documentation to prove their employment and income status, which excluded them from government support, including the CERB.
- The lack of adequate sick days along with mandated school and child-care closures and children home sick jeopardized the income and jobs of participants.
- Social isolation was worse for families with special-needs children who were also experiencing loss of access to service supports.
- Some participants experienced family breakdown and became lone caregivers during the pandemic. These lone mothers were, in most cases, physically assaulted as well as emotionally and mentally abused. With the closure of transition houses in some areas, and limited access to other support services during the pandemic, intimate-partner violence left some mothers homeless and at risk of further harm.
- A lack of mental-health support services aggravated their mental-health challenges during the pandemic.
- Many participants experienced short- and long-term work and income interruptions due to the pandemic and were pushed to engage in more unstable and low-waged precarious jobs.
- Others resorted to selling personal possessions to put food on the table.
- Many of the lone mothers in the study didn’t have the formal education and skills that are required to secure a stable job.
Recommendations
Our research resulted in 28 recommendations to address the impact of COVID-19 on marginalized lone-mothers in BC. Key among our recommendations is for government to recognize the different needs of lone-parent single-income families in all policy development and poverty-reduction measures in BC. Read our full report and recommendations here.
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
About the Research
The study used a participatory action approach, engaging peer researchers with lived-experience of
lone motherhood and working precariously to inform all aspects of the research. Six lone mothers with lived-experience were hired, and training was provided on research design, research ethics, and data collection to enable them to participate in the project as peer researchers.
Recruitment and data collection for the study were conducted between September 2022 and May 2023. The project involved dozens of diverse participants in locations across the province. The research employed a mixed-methods approach with one-on-one interviews, focus groups and surveys. In addition, 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.
This participatory action research (PAR) was funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada and received ethics approval from the University of British Columbia Behavioural Ethics Board. Dr. Lea Caragata, Director and Associate Professor, UBC School of Social Work was Principal Investigator. The report’s co-authors were Dr. Lea Caragata, Viveca Ellis, and Zeynya S. Alemayehu.
Project History
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 Mothers Throughout BC
Justice at Work was not just a research endeavor; it was a commitment to understanding the nuanced experiences of low-income lone mothers across British Columbia in a project led and shaped by mothers themselves. We engaged research participants across the province with a survey, held six focus groups, and conducted one-on-one interviews throughout BC including in BC's Northern region.
Four objectives for the Our Way In impact project have been mapped out by our staff and researchers:
- Scaling Community-Led Mobilization: Empowering low-income lone mothers to lead the change through regional committees and leadership training.
- Implementation of Recommendations: Engaging regional stakeholders for policy shifts in all four change areas identified in the recommendations of the Our Way In report.
- Collective Impact: Lobbying for legislative change and intensifying collective impact.
- Grassroots Leadership: Establishing an ongoing advocacy network for Our Way In pandemic recovery and beyond.
Context of Inequality
At the heart of this project was the stark reality of lone mother poverty in BC. In 2020, the poverty rate for lone mother-led families exceeded 30%, over six times the rate of couple families. Indigenous lone mothers faced even higher risks, with a child poverty rate of 59% on reserves in 2020. The pandemic exacerbated these inequalities, especially for those engaged in low-waged precarious work.
Peer Researchers: The Heart of Our Project
Central to our success were our peer researchers - lone mothers who brought their lived experiences to the forefront. These researchers recruited and trained from diverse backgrounds and locations, shaped the research questions, conducted interviews, and facilitated focus groups. Their commitment to systemic change and the impact of the project on post-pandemic economic recovery in BC remains strong.
Convening in Victoria
We took two trips to Victoria during the project. First, we held an in-depth research retreat in 2023 after we had collected our data to conduct analysis and identify recommendations and next steps. In February 2024 we traveled to Victoria again during BC Budget Week to present our research findings to the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction and local stakeholders. A group of nine peer researchers delivered strong and engaging group presentations to policymakers and trained in presentation skills and knowledge mobilization tactics and strategies to bring Our Way In forward and map the next phases of the project.
Next Steps
With phase one of the project complete, we are moving into the next phase identified by project participants. Check back for news.
Thank you!
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.
