Discovery Foundation's B.C. Gender Equity Roadmap by womenintechworld

B.C.'s Gender Equity Roadmap A Study of Women in Tech

Written and researched by:

For the B.C. tech community, and all those who courageously contributed their voice to this study. The hand-drawn artifacts throughout this report are pulled from images that participants at each Community Conversation drew to capture their ideas for how best to support and advance girls and women in tech within their community.

Publishing Information Copyright ÂŠ 2018 Discovery Foundation & Women in Tech World. All rights reserved. No part of this study may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief passages quoted in critical articles and reviews with citation. For more information, visit www.womenintechworld.com. Date of Issue December 2018

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Table of Contents

A Letter from Women in Tech

Prelude

A Note from the Discovery Foundation

Executive Summary

A Snapshot of B.C.'s Tech Sector

Our Approach

Research Participants

Who Are Women in Tech

What We Discovered

Regional Comparison

Building Your Action Plan

Map Your Route

Resources

Acknowledgements

Supporting the Discovery Foundation & Women in Tech World DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Melanie

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Ali

A LETTER FROM WOMEN IN TECH WORLD In British Columbia (B.C.), only 20 per cent of the tech industry workforce is made up of women 1, well below the limited national average of 25 per cent.2 Beyond the moral and legal cases for diversity, the business case is solid, with research consistently uncovering the competitive and financial advantage that diversity and inclusion provide.3,4 With B.C.'s growing tech industry and need for talent, the time is now to invest in underrepresented groups. And we aren’t the only ones who think so. Goal three of Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster is to build “diverse and skilled talent pools,” including a focus on fostering inclusive workplaces.5 In order to develop programming, policies, and initiatives to support these goals, however, it’s important to first understand the people behind the pipeline. Driving WinTech is a qualitative research initiative on gender diversity in the tech industry that included over 1,600 women and men from across Canada.

We thank the hundreds of participants, partners, and over 150 volunteers who shared their expertise and time to build Canada’s Gender Equity Roadmap, and the Discovery Foundation for their support of our continued research in B.C. Creating societal change requires buy-in and action from all in the community. Here are a few ways you can take action today: • Mentor, sponsor, or champion a woman in your network • Learn how you can host your own Driving WinTech Community Conversation • Share this Roadmap with your network There is a critical need for a deeply intersectional analysis of women’s experiences in tech. While our work is not done, this is the beginning of an important conversation. We look forward to working with B.C.'s tech sector, and beyond, to create more diverse and inclusive communities for girls and women.

Sincerely,

Alicia Close Founder & CEO, Women in Tech World

Melanie Ewan COO, Women in Tech World DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

PRELUDE In September 2017, Women in Tech World (WiTWorld) launched Driving WinTech Canada, a grassroots qualitative research tour that took our team to all provinces and Yukon collecting data from over 1,600 women and from in 31 tech communities. From this data, our team of 150 volunteers built and published Canada’s Gender Equity Roadmap: A Study of Women in Tech. In January 2018, WiTWorld was awarded the Discovery Foundation’s inaugural Research Award Program to fund continued research across B.C. tech communities. This provided a great opportunity to partner with the Discovery

To download Canada’s Gender Equity Roadmap, visit womenintechworld. com/gender-equity-roadmap/canada. Foundation, a B.C. charitable organization and community leader in diversity and inclusion who supports four key actionable areas in our communities: education, mentorship, scholarship, and research. The goal of our continued research was to not only better understand the experiences of women in tech in B.C., but to create action plans from the stories and ideas of participants that any stakeholder could implement to promote gender diversity and inclusion in their community.

A NOTE FROM THE DISCOVERY FOUNDATION The Discovery Foundation is delighted to have provided financial resources for the preparation of this report. We share the mission of Women in Tech World to promote diversity and inclusiveness in the BC tech sector and ensure that all under-represented groups have equal opportunity. Decisions and actions work best when they are data-driven and the result and conclusions in this report provide important information to inform To learn more about the Discovery Foundation, visit DiscoveryFoundation.ca. 6

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

those decisions and actions. I encourage all those in the BC tech sector, as well as policymakers and their advisors, to take the recommendation herein to heart and work with us for a better future for all British Columbians. I applaud the WiTWorld team for an excellent report, recognizing the tremendous effort that went into it. Sincerely,

Dr. David G. Harper Chief Executive Officer, Discovery Foundation

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The tech industry in B.C. is booming. Whether you look at revenue growth, job opportunities, or salaries, the metrics are trending up. It’s an exciting field to be in that requires problem solving, entrepreneurial thinking, and collaboration between sectors and stakeholders. We know that promoting diverse and inclusive workplaces is good for business and innovation, and we also know that when we ignore diversity and inclusion we lose an opportunity for growth, and the talent that comes with it.

What We Learned Over the course of 10 months, we connected with 486 community members (all genders): 166 in person and 320 online. Participants shared their personal experiences, as well as what they felt was helping women succeed, and their greatest roadblocks.

Who are Women in Tech in B.C.

What we don’t know is how to fix the “leaky pipeline” that discludes and discourages women at various stages of their tech career. We don’t know how many women are actively working in the B.C. tech sector, what motivates them to enter the industry, or why they leave.

Based on the profiles of 349 selfdescribed “women in tech,” we have developed a snapshot to better understand who self-selects into the women in tech community. It’s important to recognize that this approach does not dive deep into the intersectionality of this group. Our findings reveal that women in tech in B.C.:

These are the questions that our team aimed to answer with our B.C. research.

• Come from various educational backgrounds, with bachelor’s and DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

•

master’s degrees making up the majority (73 per cent). Have learned their technical skills predominantly through two- to four-year college or university programs (33 per cent), with 27 per cent being self-taught. Defined their work as being technical (41 per cent), in marketing/ communications (17 per cent), business development/sales (11 per cent), product management (eight per cent), human resources/ operations (five per cent), and customer support/customer success (four per cent). Another 14 per cent of women defined their roles as project management, crossfunctional, and other. Are at all organizational levels, with the majority being either entry-level (25 per cent) or management (20 per cent). Are employed full time (64 per cent), self-employed (15 per cent), students (nine per cent), unemployed (seven per cent), or employed part time (three per cent).

This demographic snapshot closely follows our findings for the national makeup of Canada’s women in tech as well, which included over 1,000 responses.

Successes and Roadblocks across B.C. Across B.C., there is a sense of 8

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

opportunity and growth in the tech industry. Participants in our research felt hopeful for women in tech, noting that there are more and more opportunities to connect with other women and men in the tech industry and to have impactful and actionoriented conversations about diversity and inclusion in the industry. That said, we still have a ways to go. Each community talked about their unique roadblocks, which often came back to social biases and stereotypes around gender roles and women’s leadership skills and commitment to work. Women felt that there are not enough women role models or mentors in tech, particularly at the executive and founder level, making it difficult for girls and young women in tech to envision themselves progressing in a tech career. Check out the What We Discovered: A Regional Perspective for stories and findings from each tech community that we visited.

Building Your Action Plan We asked 486 women and men in the B.C. tech industry to share what they would want implemented in their community to better support women in tech. Participants identified these seven themes as being the most important to consider when building an action plan for women in tech in B.C.:

• • • • • • •

Education Mentorship Resources Awareness Role models Diversity and inclusion policies Support from industry

From these themes and participant ideas we created a checklist to champion and support women in tech called Map Your Route. This checklist includes specific examples of how anyone can begin to support women in tech in their community today. Here are five ideas pulled from this checklist: □□ Build a Women’s Network • If it already exists in your community, ask: how can we improve this network so that newcomers can easily get “dialled in”? • If it doesn’t yet exist, take one small step to set this up. Reach out to one of the resources listed in the appendix or email us at to get help in connecting you to one person in your community. □□ Leverage Events • As an event attendee, invite one woman working in a different male-dominated industry than yours to an event or out for a coffee. Likewise, if you are attending a “women in tech” event, invite a man in your life to join you.

• If you are an event organizer, develop a diversity and inclusion policy for your events and track your attendee demographics to assess who you are attracting to your events. If the results don’t match your expectations or goals, assess what needs to change. □□ Are you part of a women in tech organization? Initiate a project with at least one other “women-in-maledominated-industries” organization with similar goals and values. This will help foster collaboration in the community and allow us to learn from one another. □□ Not sure how to best support women in your workplace? Ask them. Provide an anonymous feedback platform or organize a community conversation at your work to engage women and men to share their experiences in the industry and come up with ideas to better support women in tech. □□ Choose 2-3 ideas from the champion's checklist (p. 52) to add to your action plan. □□ Send this report to one person who will find it useful.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

A SNAPSHOT OF BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TECH SECTOR From 2015 to 2016,

BC TECH REVENUE:

UP BY 9.2%

RANKED

#3 AMONGST PROVINCES IN

BC TECH COMPANIES:

10,236 businesses

UP BY 33%

OF BC's WORKFORCE: 106,430

more than the mining, oil and gas, and forestry sectors combined

BC TECH COMPANIES EMPLOYEES' WEEKLY AVERAGE SALARIES:

$1,690

85% HIGHER THAN THE BC WAGE PER EMPLOYEE REVENUE OF $278,000 higher than Ontario + Quebec

FROM 2007-2016 TOTAL VENTURE CAPITAL (VC) INVESTMENT IN B.C. HAS INCREASED BY 215.2%. 6 10

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

WOMEN IN BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TECH SECTOR

w men represent 45% of the LABOUR FORCE 54% of BCs post-secondary

graduates in SCIENCE+TECHNOLOGY only 15-20%

of BCs technology compared to the CANADIAN AVERAGE of 25%7

<LESS THAN 10% of senior leadership8

OUR APPROACH

The numbers provide important context for the story of women in tech, but what about the people behind the numbers? Driving WinTech is a community-based research initiative that brings together diverse stakeholders from the tech industry to uncover the experiences and stories of women in tech. This initiative features research events, called Community Conversations, that engage participants in individual and group discussion through interactive activities. The purpose of this report

is to share the stories of women in tech in B.C., and to provide data-driven, community-first action plans to address the challenges that women identified at all stages of their career life cycle. In B.C., we held eight in-person Community Conversations, 14 individual and small group interviews, and conducted a provincewide online survey. In total, we collected 428 demographic surveys,

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Community-based research takes a partnership approach to data discovery that engages community members as experts of their own experience and equitable stakeholders in the research process. All participants contribute ideas and resources, and then combine this knowledge with innovative solutions for change.

176 written accounts, 157 online qualitative surveys, and 51 hours of audio recordings.

as one of the following:

We collected data from across B.C., however, this study focuses on providing community-driven action plans for the five B.C. tech hubs that we visited in person: Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George, Greater Vancouver, and Victoria.

• Woman who recently left the tech industry within the last five years*

• Woman working in the tech industry (technical or non-technical role)

• Advocate/ally for women in tech • Stakeholder in the tech industry (e.g., government, non-profit, educational organizations, or service providers)

Primary Research Questions • Who are women in the technology sector in B.C.? • What are the challenges and successes experienced by these women? • What are recommendations for creating more gender diverse and inclusive technology communities across B.C.?

*We included this group because 52% of highly qualified women working for science, engineering, and technology companies quit their jobs.9 It was vital for us to include this group, or we would be missing information about the tech industry, and the experiences of those women who left.

Throughout the research, the term women includes all womenidentified people. While Community Conversations were open to all genders, participants were required to self-select

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

VOICES FROM CANADIAN RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS TECH COMMUNITIES: RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS

Our research participants are from across B.C., with the majority located in five tech communities: Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George, Vancouver, and Victoria. The graph below breaks down where our participants live by city.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

This snapshot of the B.C. tech community represents the demographics of 486 community members.

to a strong age bias within the tech industry, suggesting the need for a more targeted strategy for people over the age of 35.

Our community-first approach allowed us to connect with not only leaders and senior level women in tech, but also those in entry-level and middlemanagement positions.

A majority of participants self-selected as women in tech (70 per cent), with additional perspectives from women in tech advocates (10 per cent); industry stakeholders, including government, nonprofits, educational institutions, and service providers (five per cent); and women who recently left the tech industry (two per cent).

Participants were between the ages of 18-64, with the majority of participants (40 per cent) 25-34 years of age. This is almost identical to the national numbers that we saw, and may speak

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Snapshot of the Research Participants I IDENTIFY AS A/AN:

I identify as Advocate/ally for women in technology 12%

Stakeholder in the tech industry 6%

Woman who recently left the tech industry within the last 5 years 3%

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Woman working in the tech industry (tech or non-tech role) 79%

AGE

Age 55-64 3% 45-54 12%

Prefer not to answer 1% 18-24 17%

35-44 22%

25-34 45%

Level In Their Organization PARTICIPANTS' LEVEL IN THEIR ORGANIZATION Other Consultant or 6% Contractor 7% Senior Level 7% Executive (e.g., Senior Management, Vice President, President, Clevel) 7% Intermediate Level (Specialist) 12% Owner or Founder 13%

Prefer not to answer 3%

Entry Level 25%

Management (e.g., Middle Management, Manager, Supervisor, Director) 20%

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

WHO ARE WOMEN IN TECH

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Who are women in the technology sector in B.C.? Given that there is no standard definition of the tech industry and an ongoing debate on how to define “women in tech,”, it was important to invite women and men to self-select into the research based on their role in the women in tech community.

efforts, as well, it can better inform programming and initiatives for this population. We connected with 349 people who selfidentified as women in tech from across B.C. to help us answer the question, “who are women in tech”?

This approach has allowed us to better understand who to include in the definition of “women in tech,” and can serve as a resource for future research

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Snapshot of Women in Tech Research Participants Employment Status

EMPLOYMENT STATUS Unemployed and currently looking for work 6%

Employed parttime (fewer than 30 hours per week) 3%

Student 9%

Other 2%

Unemployed and not currently looking for work 1%

Employed fulltime (30 or more hours per week) 64%

Self-employed (e.g. owner/founder, contractor, freelancer) 15%

AGE

Age 45-54 11%

55-64 2%

18-24 17%

35-44 23%

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Prefer not to answer 1%

25-34 46%

Level In Their Organization PARTICIPANTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; LEVEL IN THEIR ORGANIZATION Consultant or Contractor Other 5% 6%

Prefer not to answer 2%

Senior Level 6%

Professional, nonmanagement 1% Entry Level 25%

Executive (e.g., Senior Management, Vice President, President, Clevel) 8%

Management (e.g., Middle Management, Manager, Supervisor, Director) 20%

Owner or Founder 13% Intermediate Level (Specialist) 14%

Type of Organization In Which Participants Work

TYPE OF ORGANIZATION IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS WORK

Government (or government association) 5% Academia 11%

Community Organization 3% Prefer not to answer 2%

Other 15% Industry (e.g., tech company, tech startup) 64%

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Where Participants Gained Their Technical Skills

WHERE PARTICIPANTS GAINED THEIR TECHNICAL SKILLS Certificate program 5%

On-the-job 1%

Multiple programs 5%

Two or four-year college or university program 33%

Tech school or bootcamp 7% Online coding course 9%

Other 13%

Self taught 27%

PARTICIPANTS' POSITION (PRIMARY DOMAIN)

Position (Primary Domain)

Customer Support / Customer Success 4% Management / Executive (No specialization) 5% Operations / Human Resources 5% Other 7% Product Management 8%

Project Management 3%

Technical role (including engineering, data analysis, business intelligence, design, etc.) 40%

Business Development / Sales 11% Marketing / Communications 17%

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Educational Background PARTICIPANTS’ EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND Doctorate (e.g. PhD, EdD) 3% Associate degree (e.g. AA, AS) 3% High school diploma or equivalent (e.g. GED) 4%

Other 2%

Less than a high school diploma 2%

Professional degree (e.g. MD, DDS, DVM) 1% Prefer not to answer 1%

Some college but no degree 4%

Some college, no degree 6%

Bachelor’s degree (e.g. BA, BS) 54%

Master’s degree (e.g. MA, MS, MEd) 20%

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

WHAT WE DISCOVERED How would you describe the tech industry in B.C.?

In speaking with women in technology across B.C., we heard that the following resources are currently helping women succeed in the tech industry.

on the tech community, this list is valuable, especially when looking for support to overcome current roadblocks.

Resources, include: • Women-focused networking, workshops and events

Roadblocks, include:

• Quality mentors, however, limited access • Scholarships for women in trades and engineering • Culture shift in education to support STEM programming within public school While these supports vary depending

• Bro-culture, sexism, and isolation in the workplace, particularly as you climb the ladder in your career; perceptions that women are less competent or less committed to work • Self-doubt and lack of selfconfidence of women at work • Male dominated industry, especially in leadership; old boys’ club ("who you know" culture) DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

A Regional Perspective One of the most common questions we get is about the regional experience and comparisons. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we learned about the five tech communities we visited.

Did you know that B.C. has the highest percentage of women-owned small businesses in Canada?10 Women in tech across B.C. and Canada reported that one of the only ways theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found to navigate male-dominated industries and policies is to become their own boss. That way, they can define their own hours and work environment.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Kamloops Fast Facts • Population: 103,81111 • Voices Heard (Sample): 26 • Number of Tech Workers: N/A • Number of Tech Businesses: N/A

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

How would you describe the tech industry in Kamloops?

In Kamloops, participants felt that their tech community is still developing, and lacks an established local network; they expressed that while there are dynamic, strong women in the community, it’s hard to connect with them. Something that stood out in Kamloops was the idea that, because it’s a small community, it would be beneficial to connect all of the “women-in-male-dominated-industry” groups. What's Working • • • • •

Small-scale adhoc women in tech events Direct support and opportunities for women from computer science professors Women’s networks online and offline Women mentoring women Women in trades and engineering scholarships

…there feels like maybe because there are fewer women in this industry that there's more cooperation than competition.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

There are a lot of women in Kamloops who are self innovating. There are a lot of women who have created programs and avenues to support women in tech and women in STEM.

Roadblocks • "It's all good" attitude; subtle undertone of male dominance, including old boys’ club • Gender stereotypes: social biases around women’s role in society, specifically perception of women in technical roles • Lack of self-confidence of women in tech • Limited access to established role models

This isn't Kamloops specific, but most people I tell that I'm a software developer usually get uncomfortable or even look at me like I'm lying - really makes me feel discouraged.

...in this smaller community where we don't have critical mass of women in tech, I feel that we don't know who each other are. […] We do not have an existing network and there should be more people sitting at this table and their voices heard.

They had someone come in [to our high school] from an art school to talk to the graphic design students. They had tradesmen come in to talk to the guys that were doing trades at the school. But there wasn't anything for computer science.

Critical mass in gender politics: The theory that there needs to be a certain number of women represented in politics/business/industry for women to make a substantial difference within the collective. Thirty per cent is the golden rule, but with the clear caveat that obtaining representative numbers alone will not solve the problem.12

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

My daughter went into tech, because I was tech. She never even thought about not doing it, but I do hear that some people feel like they can’t.

Kelowna Fast Facts • Population: 194,88213 • Voices Heard (Sample): 64 • Number of Tech Workers: 12,47414 • Number of Tech Businesses: 69314

The biggest help was having a mentor or role model, somebody that can support you [...] somebody that's been there and done that and really can also be a champion for you, not just mentor, but actually help raise you up in the community.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

How would you describe the tech industry in Kelowna?

In Kelowna, there was a lot of talk about the local “bro” culture in tech, as well as a culture of drinking (e.g., work events at wineries and judgement if you don’t partake), and the negative impact of the “sunshine tax.” While there are strong and visible women leaders, mentors, and role models in Kelowna, participants felt that the industry continues to be male dominated, and that the tech culture is too narrow (i.e., focused on apps/smartphones). What's Working • • • • •

Quality mentors with relevant experience; been there, done that Funding and tax incentives for tech, innovation, and women Women-focused coding workshops as well as online videos and courses Strong women leaders and accessible role models Networking and social events that provide an opportunity for personal connection

I think there are plenty of shining stars in this community, and the trick is finding them of course, but there are plenty.

Because it's a small town sort of feel, it's actually accessible to meet some of the people who can be real influencers and network up to a higher level.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Roadblocks • Gender stereotypes • Male dominated industry, especially in leadership; old boys’ club ("who you know" culture) • Lack of women-focused networking and events, no women in tech group or organization • Lack of education on importance of diversity • Limited career advancement, favouring men in equal or lesser positions • Inflexible work arrangements that do not allow for effective career contributions from both parents and child rearing • Lack of funding for different business models with a need to build the tech before you can access many of the resources

I think women have a weird competition with each other, because there’s so few in the industry. It’s like I know there’s going to only be one women manager, so I want to take down all the other women.

I do interviewing as part of my work and I can tell you that for the same job and same qualifications, men always ask for more money. Always, always, always.

All the networking opportunities are based around, let's go get wasted! It's kind of a weird dichotomy because as a woman if you do go out and get drunk with the guys you're seen as not being super serious, but if you don't, they're like “well, you don't get the connection if you don’t have the experience with us of going to the strip club.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

I distinctly remember sitting at many meetings coming up with an idea and it drops dead, then some guy thinks up the same exact idea and it’s the most wonderful thing ever. [...] It’s like my voice didn’t count. […] I was very successful in tech with my clients and with management. My peers are what caused me to leave.

There’s not really a hierarchical system in Prince George. You end up at a hockey rink and your kids are playing hockey together, and you just sit there and it’s all good.

Prince George Fast Facts • Population: 86,62215 • Voices Heard (Sample): 23 • Number of Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Workers: 1,95016 • Number of Tech Businesses: N/A

[Speaker 1]UNBC runs an engineering camp called Gear Up, [...] this summer they had a week that was just for girls age five to 10 who could come together [...]. I was babysitting one of the girls who was in it and she loved it because she could see that there’s these other girls and it can- [Speaker 2] She doesn’t feel weird anymore for liking what she likes. [Speaker 1] Yeah.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

How would you describe the tech industry in Prince George?

In Prince George, participants felt that because of their growing tech industry, affordability of the region, and quality education system, there are many professional and training opportunities available, and good access to coaching, mentorship, and role models. Despite this, the community felt that too few people were actively working on the roadblocks associated with local male-dominated industries, including gender stereotyping, the gender pay gap, and weak parental planning policies. What's Working • Accessible network • Mentors, excellent support from women in the field, connections are made faster and easier • Seeing other women in the industry • Culture shift in education and technology to try and support girls and women in STEM • Reduced financial barriers to obtaining education and personal technology access

I’ve negotiated going back to work after my second daughter here because I was able to work part time ... so it’s great.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

One of the things that helps us is the availability of training, mentoring, and coaching. You know, there are mentors and coaches in town. It’s just, lots of people don’t know, you don’t have the connection and you don’t have that comfort level to reach out.

Roadblocks • • • • •

Lack of confidence Lack of women mentors at a young age Limited education opportunities for technical degrees Top management is dominated by a male presence Perception of traditional gender roles and old boys club

We definitely live in the north, where it’s typically a very maledominated industry - mining and sawmilling, forestry. I feel personally that the top level of a lot of these sawmills, mining companies, and the heavyweights are very male dominated. I’ve met quite a few of them who are very keen to keep it that way. They’re very threatened.

PG is a last minute town. So it’s really hard to plan an event or a workshop if you don’t have people committing to actually attend.

There’s still lots of ‘women can’t’ sentences. It is changing, but it has not changed.

I have been openly shown by my HR department that I am actively being paid 80 per cent of what my male counterparts are being paid because I’m a woman. And despite my questioning that, they refuse to adjust it. That I find shocking.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

...there are some programs I know that are trying to get girls in grade 12 to get into the STEM thing by offering them, ‘Oh here is an opportunity to design your own app, make your business plan and we’ll help you and fund it.’ So that kind of thing is helping.

Greater Vancouver Fast Facts • Population: 2,463,43117 • Voices Heard (Sample): 233 • Number of Tech & ICT Workers: 75,00018 • Number of Tech Businesses: 6,45919

Mentorship, networking, learning, it’s pretty endless in Vancouver, especially because it’s just a fast-paced environment. There is the ability to just jump in and learn, and you don’t have to be a seasoned vet or anything really.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

How would you describe the tech industry in Greater Vancouver?

With a fast growing tech industry, there’s a general sense of opportunity in Greater Vancouver. Participants agreed that there is a solid women in tech community in Vancouver with numerous supportive organizations; however, they would like for these organizations to collaborate and share knowledge more often and more effectively. The community wants assurances that public conversations as well as other diversity initiatives and government roundtables are making an impact; they want action plans, goals, and follow up. What's Working • Supportive and welcoming community of women in tech and their advocates, with many grassroots organizations • Fast industry growth creating new opportunities for professional growth, career advancement, tech skills training, new projects/roles, startups, and innovation • Quality events put on by companies (e.g., Microsoft), various meetups, and networking opportunities to support and help women develop and grow

Technical workshops are helping. I think they’re a little bit expensive, but I think the fact that they’re available is helping.

Vancouver has a reputation for being hard to meet new people and find your tribe. I didn’t feel that at all. The small network of people that I had in tech were just really welcoming and made lots of introductions. DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Roadblocks • Bro-culture, sexism, and isolation in the workplace, particularly as you climb the ladder in your career; perceptions that women are less competent or less committed to work • High cost of living, tech education/training, and daycare — disproportionately affecting women’s careers • Management not promoting women to higher positions; lack of mentors/role models in executive roles and government • Lack of support and education for young girls to pursue STEM • Bootstrapped industry with lack of financial resources for tech/startups, causing talent and founders to leave Vancouver • Very competitive, need lots of networking to be able to get a job • Feelings of inferiority and self-doubt • Perception that there is no problem with gender diversity in the workplace

I’m the only woman in the office, so it’s going to be a lot harder for me to seek out a male mentor and be like, ‘I want to be like you when I grow up.’ It would be a lot more relatable to find a woman that I could, you know, be taken under her wing.

As I've gained seniority, my awareness and direct experience with sexist attitudes and policies has grown.

That bro culture includes celebrating a certain type of individual — usually someone who is male, outspoken, and extroverted.

...if you don’t fit in with the guys it’s a lot harder, I think, to advance in the company because I miss out on all the hangouts and that’s where they build a relationship. 38

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

It’s really competitive in Vancouver particularly because there’s not a lot of tech in the city and a lot of graduates have to move out to the States, Europe, or Australia. We lose a lot of talent that way.

Victoria Fast Facts • Population: 367,77020 • Voices Heard (Sample): 43 • Number of Tech Workers: 16,77521 • Number of Tech Businesses: 1,540 firms in Vancouver Island/Coast region21

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

How would you describe the tech industry in Victoria?

In Victoria, participants felt that while the women in tech community is strong and incredibly supportive, it’s difficult for new community members to access the existing network. Participants consistently mentioned that the tech industry feels small, competitive for junior talent, and cliquey. That said, there was a sense of growth, opportunity, and hope within the tech industry in Victoria. What's Working • Networking, coding, and community tech events available consistently • Supportive community organizations with low barrier to entry for women in tech (e.g., YYC Tech Ladies, YYC Tech) • Interest and support for grassroots diversity initiatives, organized informally, and bottom up

It has been my experience in Victoria that the tech community is not only open to outsiders but to solving the root problems that are causing issues in the industry.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

When you meet one person, you likely know some of the same people, or they are happy to introduce you. It's very easy to create a network if you put yourself out there.

Roadblocks • Difficult to find and connect to women mentors; existing mentorship programs are exclusive • Exclusive/cliquey community, “who you know’’ culture • Highly competitive industry, with a surplus of junior talent and not enough opportunities to match • “Beards, bros, and beer” culture with sexist attitudes at events and in the workplace • Lack of qualified managers; leadership that is “tone deaf to diversity and inclusion” • Gender stereotypes in curriculum, toy aisle, and at work • Self-doubt and lack of confidence at work • Expensive child care and lack of good maternity benefits

The demands of tech are difficult to realize as a mom with children trying to juggle; the speed is intensive; the amount of knowledge required is hard to keep up with; the supports and culture are geared towards high risk, high reward and exit strategies — not business development that is sustainable and provides a livelihood.

Victoria as an island town is also very clique-ish, which doesn't make it easier.

Splinter groups continue to arise that support each minority, but we need to band together to approach the critical mass necessary to cross the tipping point. Women in tech appear protective of their fiefdoms, each wanting to be the hero that makes the social change necessary. Until we collaborate in these initiatives, [...], we remain isolated.

When you’re still a fairly burgeoning industry like we describe Victoria, there’s a tendency to only want to hire senior developers.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

REGIONAL UNPACKING THE COMPARISON BARRIERS: A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

KELOWNA

PRINCE GEORGE

“I’m actually earning less than I did ten years

“There are not a lot of competitors in the north,

ago. [...] we moved here because we have kids and we wanted more work-life balance, which I do have, and that is a trade off.”

which provides a lot of opportunity for anyone who wants to forge ahead [...]. Being a big fish in a small pond is easier than living in a big

“Because it's a small town sort of feel, it's

pond.”

actually accessible to meet some of the people

“...more and more events are occurring to

who can be real influencers and network up to

highlight the tech sector, which is mostly

a higher level.”

under the radar.”

“If you want to make more money you gotta

“The affordability of PG makes it easier for

work for companies not in Kelowna. Most of us

people to retrain or take on extra projects and

don't work only in Kelowna.”

stuff like that.”

KAMLOOPS

VICTORIA

“The tech industry in Kamloops is very small,

“My impression was that the industry was

so everyone who is involved with it really

small, very "who you know," but generally

wants to see it grow. For this reason, they are

energetic and experiencing growth.”

very welcoming to any newcomers and make

“...there’s a ton of activity going on, but it feels

a substantial effort to help them become established in the community.” “...after moving back to Kamloops [...] I found

like it’s hidden.”

VANCOUVER

that there seemed to be more of a genuine

“The tech sector is growing so quickly in

interest from the community to include me

Vancouver and I see that this growth is

in it. I've found various people go out of their

providing new opportunities.”

way to connect to me or connect me with someone.”

“There are a lot of meet-up groups and lunchlearn groups in Vancouver. All the ones I've been in to have been very welcoming.” “...the crunch in housing, transportation infrastructure, finding skilled personnel and government support can stifle some of the creativity, growth, and potential of the industry.” “Easily accessible childcare: this is a major issue for most mothers I know in Vancouver.”

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

BUILDING YOUR ACTION PLAN

Education was one of the key recommendations put forward for improving the experiences of women in tech, as participants believed that increasing awareness of the barriers women in tech face would elicit support for systemic change; speaking to the need to provide technical skills and diversity and inclusion training.

these seven themes as the most important to consider when building an action plan for women in tech: • Education • Mentorship • Resources • Awareness • Role Models • Diversity and Inclusion • Support from Industry

Participants from across B.C. identified

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

What participants said to consider: • Introduce mandatory technology education in both elementary and secondary school, including coding and other options • Industry support of teacher education programs to ensure relevant curricula

Education

• Ensure more representation of women teachers and professors in computer science, particularly in post-secondary • Increase the capacity (i.e., number of seats for enrolment) of post-secondary programs that currently exist for students to pursue tech education, including computer science • Educational scholarship and funding for part-time education • Provide diversity and inclusion training; initiatives within public school system to educate teachers, guidance counsellors, and parents on how to encourage girls in math and coding early

“More women in educational organizations; more women teachers and professors so [young girls] can get inspired by role models.” “Increase the number of professors at [top Canadian universities] as students admitted into post-secondary computer science programs are waitlisted for certain highdemand courses for several semesters. It seems they don't have enough professors to open more sections for us.” “Ongoing emerging tech demos and showcases at all levels of schools for exposure and awareness.”

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

“Job shadowing programs in high school where a young woman could sign up to spend a day with a woman who is working in a field that interests them.” “Create more interest and project-based opportunities for kids to play with science and technology in school.”

What participants said to consider:

Mentorship

• Start peer mentorship with a group of friends or colleagues who are in the unique position of experiencing similar situations or providing new perspectives (e.g., pairing of technical and nontechnical peers) • Create affordable and accessible opportunities for women mentorship at all stages of career paths • Have women shadow local women in a position of senior leadership in various tech industries and fields

“Bring women in STEM into high schools to coach and support tech clubs and encourage girls.” “Mentorship programs for various stages, not just at the beginning of your career, but when you get into management, into executive committees, and then on boards.”

“Women helping women get promotions; tell other women what the process was, what they wish they'd done [differently, and] what to expect, so when they are in a similar situation it’s not a blackout.”

“A resource guide that talks of people who can mentor you; how to build a resume, where to find jobs, and general info about the local tech community.”

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

What participants said to consider: • Supply a platform or forum to foster connections in the tech industry and provide a safe space for discussions to learn and problem solve (online and offline)

Resources

• Create accessible, consistent courses, workshops, and bootcamps (i.e., programming, how to selfassess professional value, negotiation skills, etc.) • Secure financial support through business subsidies, scholarships, and government grants • Create women in tech meet-up groups and organizations, particularly in smaller communities throughout B.C. • More public resources to help victims of sexual harassment and discrimination

“Who do you call first? Who helps you? Where [do] you go? Where do you find these people? There’s tons of resources but there’s no, like, ‘what’s step one?’ for a lot of people.” “A more connected community of the diverse players working toward making things better for women in tech. Maybe a central portal? One stop shop type of idea.” “Business coaching provided to women as often women in the workplace are told to be more confident and men are taught business skills. There's a gap here.” “Provide far simpler accessibility to capital [for] women tech entrepreneurs such as zero interest, forgivable loans combined with support in ops, financial modelling, management, grants, angel VC financing but done differently to reduce intimidation.” 48

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

“Increase access for girls from lower income households with the intent to follow up over the course of junior high and high schools.” “Slack channel similar to KIC for women in tech and then have channels that are categorized by city. So women could be involved in what's going on in their own city but also have a general channel for everyone. Plus you can see what's going on in other cities, have different channels for help or support.” “Bring together women in tech organizations to strengthen our voice; strong community established for networking, unite all of the small independent groups.”

What participants said to consider: • Acknowledge the barriers women in tech face to elicit support and systemic changes Awareness

• Showcase the career opportunities in tech • Change the typical view of the tech industry (not only for hardcode “techies” or men) • Communicate the economic need for people in tech fields

“Better [...] marketing of tech to a younger generation. A social presence to help promote engineering. For example, a commercial where the woman engineer doesn't look like a dork.” “Conversations between women and men in the industry. The more they know about each other, the less misunderstanding.”

“More programs on diversity awareness and how to create an inclusive and welcoming workplace.” “Reach out to younger generations in smaller communities. They may not know that tech is an option for them or how broad tech can be.” “Talk more and realize we are not alone.”

What participants said to consider: • Showcase important and relatable women figures and their success in the tech industry Role Models

• Enlist role models; ensure more platforms are visible in community and provide more venues to speak up in • Increase representation of women in leadership positions and at the board level • Modelling of inclusive behaviour, regardless of gender

“A campaign like the Heritage Minute by Canadian government to show diverse contributions of women in tech, public service style.”

“Digital broadcasting network to highlight the stories of women in tech through video, audio interviews, podcasts, and graphics.”

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

“More voices of women speaking as authority in the space, in the way that men tech founders, veterans, and investors speak.”

“We need to see it. Whether or not there is an abundance of women in tech, if the younger generation cannot see it, they won't know and they won't be inspired.”

What participants said to consider: • Start having more conversations to challenge stereotypes Diversity and Inclusion

• Explore gender biases and fix them • Foster accessibility in the broadest sense of the word. Ensure acceptance of women with disabilities, but also supports for parents, women of different backgrounds, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.

“Never assume that women ourselves are free from implicit bias and/or will support the success of other women. Acknowledge our own bias, intersectional bias.” “Support for small businesses trying to wrap their mind around holding women's jobs for 18 months.” “Emphasizing a more overarching approach to diversity than gender itself, intersectional approach. Other factors like race, socioeconomic opportunity, family orientation, and disability play a huge role in whether any individual woman can succeed.”

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

“I often see there’s a lot of similarities [between sexism and racism]. Like [it] is very obvious when people are being racist, right? So I always say if you think something is sexist, substitute race in. So like one guy said to me, ‘All my friends feel sorry for me because I manage all women.’ I said ‘That’s horrible.’ And he said, ‘What? It’s true.’ And I said, ‘Change that to black. All my friends feel sorry for me because I manage all black people.’ He said, ‘That’s horrible’ and I said, ‘Well, how do you think it sounds to me?.’

What participants said to consider: • Implement management training on diversity and inclusion practices; change hiring practices and provide more comprehensive parental or care support for everyone to allow smooth transitions at different times in their careers Support from the Industry

• Companies need to bridge gap between schoolto-work. Offer scholarships or foster partnerships between academia and industry • Require transparency in pay to achieve gender parity of equal pay for equal work • Furnish more robust family support policies, such as parental/caregiver leave, childcare subsidies, and breastfeeding breaks and rooms

“Employer and employment strategies that engage women and are implemented in the workplace. Modernization of schedules that acknowledges and support both partners' careers.” “Finally, we have an awareness that implicit and explicit bias exists. Now what are we going to do? Get companies to sign pledges and take action on bias and get gender parity in tech teams and in leadership.”

“And then companies like Patagonia, where they have like a childcare centre right next to them, so the moms or dads can go during their workday and just check on their kids, and just have lunch with them or whatever.” “Provide benefits for new fathers and incentives for them to be used, so that parenting is seen as a normal part of life and not a diversion that women indulge in.”

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

MAP YOUR ROUTE

A checklist to champion and support women in tech. Everyone can be a champion for women in tech. While creating societal and generation change will take buy in and action of many, at all different levels of decision making, there are things that each of us could do to help move the needle. Building a Women’s Network If your community already has OR is building a women’s network, ASK: □□ Is the existing network easy to access and navigate? □□ Is it set up to engage with other women in male-dominated industries e.g., women in engineering, in finance, in mining? □□ How can newcomers get “dialled in” to this network? □□ How can we reach out to smaller communities and bridge geographic barriers? If your community does not have a women’s network: □□ If it doesn’t yet exist, take one small step to set this up. Reach out to one of the resources listed in the appendix or email us at info@womenintechworld.com to get help in connecting you to one person in your community. Leverage Events If you are an event attendee: □□ Register to attend a women in male-dominated-industries event (and actually GO). Despite women asking for more networking opportunities and events, low attendance at events is a major barrier to securing funding to put on events. If you really can’t attend, send a note to the event organizer explaining why. □□ At the next event you go to, connect with someone on LinkedIn and follow up with a personal note and invitation to go for coffee (building relationships).

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

□□ Invite a woman working in a different male-dominated industry than yours to an event or out for a coffee. Likewise, if you are attending a “women in tech” event, invite a man in your life to join you. Learn: □□ What are you experiencing that’s similar? □□ What can we learn from one another? If you are an event organizer: □□ Develop a diversity and inclusion policy for your events. Consider: □□ How can you adjust wording in your event promotion to ensure it’s inclusive? □□ What are your diversity targets on your panels? □□ How will you handle a situation if someone in a power position (e.g., panelist) at your event says or does something that goes against your company diversity and inclusion policy? □□ Who are you marketing your event to? Take the opportunity to reach out to organizations outside of your network. If possible, track your attendee demographics to assess who you are attracting to your events. If the results don’t match your expectations or goals, take measure to assess what needs to change. □□ Survey your audience to assess if on-site event daycare would be beneficial. □□ If you are providing T-shirts, bite the financial bullet and order the women’s T-shirts. While they’re often more expensive, the women in your audience will appreciate it. Raise Awareness □□ Send this report to one person who you think might find it useful. □□ Support continued diversity and inclusion research, including projects that take an intersectional approach to this topic. □□ Host a podcast. Challenge yourself to include a diversity of voice (e.g., 50/50 women and men). □□ Are you part of a women in tech organization? Initiate a project with at least one other organization with similar goals and values. This will help foster collaboration in the community and allow us to learn from one another. ...if we had some more data then we could measure if it improves in ten years. [...] Because it’s not going to happen overnight. Maybe in ten years we’ll be able to prove that we’ve progressed. I think Vancouver is better, is my feeling, and still. Better than what? Better than something really bad.” - Vancouver

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

How can I get my company or school involved? Are you in a position of power at your work or in your business? □□ Not sure how to best support women in your workplace? Ask them. Provide an anonymous feedback platform or organize a community conversation at your work to engage women and men to share their experiences in the industry and come up with ideas to better support women in tech. Tip: This is a learning exercise, not an opportunity to blame or shame. Consider bringing in an objective facilitator for this conversation. □□ Implement a formal mentorship program for employees at all levels of the organization, including connections with women in leadership roles. Consider opening up the program to girls and women outside of the organization. □□ Consider flexible work arrangements. For remote workers and those with flexible schedules, consider subsidizing a co-working membership, so that your employees can connect with a new community, learn from others in the industry, and improve brand awareness. □□ Provide your employees with professional network memberships, for the same reasons as you would provide a co-working membership (see above). □□ Provide equal opportunities to attend conferences and maintain an events board with local events (not just internal) relevant to all employees. □□ Create a soft landing strategy for employees who are (a) new to the city/town, and/or (b) new to the tech community. □□ Offer on-site skills training opportunities at lunch and after work, and subsidies for employees to access training outside of work. In B.C. you can take advantage of the BC Job grant for this purpose. □□ Survey your employees to assess the need for on-site daycare. If there is a need, create a strategy for how you could implement this either for free or low-cost. □□ Challenge gender norms in your marketing strategy. Unconscious bias training seems to be at the top of every company list; however, “[this] training is only effective if unconscious bias is the problem.” In other words, it is only effective if leadership is willing to create real actionable change and challenge their own biases. It’s important to not assume that you know the answers without first asking the people who are experiencing the roadblocks. Take a data-driven, community-first approach to your strategy to ensure that you truly understand what is happening in your organization, and get buy-in for the action plan that they help you create.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

RESOURCES

We asked participants to help us build a list of resources that support women in tech. The resources that were contributed are at WomeninTechWorld.com. This list is constantly evolving, but is intended to serve as a tool to help navigate your tech community.

In addition, many participants listed city councils, their chamber of commerce, local libraries, and innovation/entrepreneurship accelerators as key resources in their communities.

To learn more about the resources in your tech community, go to womenintechworld.com/resources.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Endnotes 1. BC Tech Association. “2016 TechTalentBC Report.” Accessed December 8, 2018. https://www.workbc.ca/getmedia/8d38ac6f-82d4-4db1-b0bf-ac0f77d78af5/2016_TechTalentBC_Report.pdf. aspx. 2. Cutean, A., Ivus, M. 2017. “The Digital Talent Dividend: Shifting Gears in a Changing Economy.” Information and Communications Technology Council. (ICTC). Ottawa, Canada. https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/ wp-content/uploads/2018/01/ICTC-Report_ The-Digital-Talent-Dividend-FINAL-ENGLISH-1.30.18.pdf. 3. Nathan, Max and Lee, Neil. “Cultural Diversity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship: Firm-level Evidence from London.” Economic Geography, 89:4 (2013): 367-394. DOI: 10.1111/ecge.12016. 4. Gompers, Paul and Kovvali, Silpa. “The Other Diversity Dividend.” Harvard Business Review, July-August 2018 (2018): 72-77. https://hbr.org/2018/07/the-other-diversity-dividend. 5. Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster. “Government of Canada’s Innovation Supercluster Initiative.” Accessed December 8, 2018. https://www.digitalsupercluster. ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Introduction-to-Digital-Technology-Supercluster. pdf 6. Schrier, Dan. “Profile of the British Colum-

ba9ca8a9e5eb/ProfileoftheBritishColumbiaTechnologySector2017Edition.pdf 7. BC Tech Association. “2016 TechTalentBC Report.” Accessed December 8, 2018. https://www.workbc.ca/getmedia/8d38ac6f-82d4-4db1-b0bf-ac0f77d78af5/2016_TechTalentBC_Report.pdf. aspx. 8. Burgmann, Tamsyn. “Female entrepreneurs disrupting tech industry in B.C.” The Globe and Mail, July 17, 2016. https:// www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/ female-entrepreneurs-disrupting-tech-industry-in-bc/article30951083/ 9. Hewlett, S., Buck Luce, C., Servon, L., Sherbin, L., Shiller, P., Sosnovich, E. and Sumberg, K. (2008). The Athena Factor: Reversing the Brain Drain in Science, Engineering, and Technology. Harvard Business Review, p.i. 10. Mullen, Denise. “Women and Work: An Analysis of the Changing British Columbia Labour Market.” June 2018. https://www. bcbc.com/content/3823/BCBC_WomenAndWork_FINAL.pdf 11. Statistics Canada. “Census Profile, 2016 Census.” Kamloops, British Columbia and British Columbia. Last modified April 24, 2018. https:// www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page. cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMACA&Code1=925&-

bia Technology Sector: 2017 Edition.” BC

Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&-

Stats. November 2017. http://www.bcstats.

SearchText=kamloops&SearchType=Be-

gov.bc.ca/Files/ab7366b6-c0bf-453d-beb1-

gins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

12. Dahlerup, Drude. “The story of the theory

ish Columbia and British Columbia.

of critical mass”. Politics & Gender, Cam-

Last modified April 24, 2018. https://

bridge Journals 2, no. 4 (December 2006):

www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recense-

511–522.https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS1743923

ment/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.

X0624114X.

cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMACA&Code1=933&-

13. Statistics Canada. “Census Profile, 2016 Census.” Kelowna, British Columbia and British Columbia. Last modified April 24, 2018. https://

Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=vancouver&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1 18. Vancouver Economic Commission. “Tech-

www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recense-

nology.” Accessed December 8, 2018.

ment/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.

http://www.vancouvereconomic.com/fo-

cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMACA&Code1=915&-

cus/technology/

Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=kelowna&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1 14. Accelerate Okanagan. “Economic Impact

19. Schrier, Dan. “Profile of the British Columbia Technology Sector: 2017 Edition.” BC Stats. November 2017. http://www.bcstats. gov.bc.ca/Files/ab7366b6-c0bf-453d-beb1-

of the Okanagan Tech Sector.” Accessed

ba9ca8a9e5eb/ProfileoftheBritishColum-

December 8, 2018.https://www.accelera-

biaTechnologySector2017Edition.pdf

teokanagan.com/files/2015/3750/7583/EconomicImpactStudy2018-FinalWEB.pdf 15. Statistics Canada. “Census Profile, 2016

20. Statistics Canada. “Census Profile, 2016 Census.” Victoria, British Columbia and British Columbia. Last mod-

Census.” Prince George, British Colum-

ified April 24, 2018.https://www12.

bia and British Columbia. Last modified

statcan.gc.ca/census-recensem-

April 24, 2018. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/

ent/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.

census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/

cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMACA&Code1=935&-

details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMA-

Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&-

CA&Code1=970&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&-

SearchText=victoria&SearchType=Begins&-

Data=Count&SearchText=prince%20

SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1

george&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1 16. Trade and Invest British Columbia. “In-

21. VIATEC Beta. “VIATEC releases Economic Impact Study of the Technology Sector in Greater Victoria.” October 15, 2018. https://

vesting in Prince George, British Colum-

www.viatec.ca/articles/economic-im-

bia.” Accessed December 8, 2018. https://

pact-of-the-technology-sector-in-great-

www.britishcolumbia.ca/invest/com-

er-victoria

munities/british-columbia/cariboo/fraser-fort-george/prince-george/ 17. Statistics Canada. “Census Profile, 2016 Census.” Vancouver, Brit-

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A special thanks to our incredible community of volunteers who made this possible! Over 170 women in tech and allies dedicated thousands of hours to plan, research and develop the Discovery Foundation's B.C. Gender Equity Roadmap: A Study of Women in Tech and #DrivingWinTech Canada. Executive Team

Editorial Advisory Committee

Alicia Close, Founder & CEO — Lead Researcher Dana Kawas, Director of Operations Melanie Ewan, COO — Lead Researcher & Writer Zeynep Tuck, Director of Marketing

Dr. David G. Harper, Chief Executive Officer, Discovery Foundation Kimberely Steadman, Operations Manager, Kamloops Innovation Nicole Bruce, Economic Development Manager, Venture Kamloops Ruth Mojeed, Equity & Inclusion Consultant, The Inclusion Group

Report Design Team

Editor

Lisa Taniguchi, Lead Mina Radivojevic

Katie Beaton, Editor Data Team Aurelie Ngo Mambongo Claire Son, Lead Emily Chutter Emily Hannan Indu Khatri Joanna Cholewa

Kristen Cooke Lauren Borja Lily Miao Linda Kang Mandy Samra Marcelle Chiriboga

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Minyoung Hwang Preeti Hemant Raquel Badillo Ruiwei Jiang, Lead Sandra Graham Sophia Chan Tusaani Kumaravadivel

DrivingWinTech Team Abigail Costa Aditi Lala Aidana Shagdar Aileen Cham Akshaya Jadhav Albertina Wong Alice Vincent Alison Chan Amanda Chew, Ambassador Amy Henderson, Lead Ana Iammatteo Andreia Treptow Anela Lomigora Arianne Arboleda Ashley Feldman Bianca Arboleda Blythe Gietz Bo Ha Bosky Mukherjee, Lead Burcin Olcer Ozturk Carlie Nishi Carolina Barrio Caroline Lauder Cherrie Lam Chetna Kokal Chiara Knapman Chiara Toselli Conny Lin, Lead Cynthia Chou Deepika Nautiyal Diltaj Kaur Disha Mishra Elena Yugai, Co-Founder Elizabeth Carroll Emily Zinn, Ambassador Erika Pan Eva Taylor Fangyan Wang

Farheen Husain Fiona Finn Fulvia Carregan Gigi Wong Girish Kaushal Gitu Baruah Glorie Averbach, Lead Gurjeet Kaur Guy Close Hanna Close Happy Adesara Harika Kasagoni Jackie Felker Jacy Brydges-Bracewell Jane Si Janice Sousa Jeanine Longley Jenifer Leung Jenny Chia Jessica Dieuique João José Passos da Camara Jocelyne Bell Joelle Cytrynbaum Joni Joyner, Lead Josef Filipowicz Juljka Nadir Julie Wong Kamal Kaur Karolina Kapusta Kate Tomczyk Katherine Gillard Katie Beaton Katie Zawaideh Katy Jarrah Kayla Zimmermann Kelly Ngan Kim Hong Kim Wysseier, Lead

Krista Forbes Kristina Raffaniello Kristine Vacola Ladan Vafi Lauren Olson Laurie Brownrigg Lee Ling Yang Leva Ajauskaite Liam Close Lisa Taniguchi, Lead Liz Jaluague Liza Akhvledziani Luvania Pathmanathan Luz Angeles Gonzalez Mandy Taylor Mansi Tandon, Lead Marwa Ridha Maryam Hajiloo May Chau Melanie Sia Melissa Lee Michael Carbonnier Michelle Wong, Ambassador Nancy Baye, Lead Navneet Nagra Naziya Sayyed Nikoo Nikpeikaran Orane Cheung Pamela Close Patricia Belinski Patti Kibenge, Ambassador Paul Brassard Pei-Chi Chen Philip Moussavi Prachi Kamble, Lead Rainer Kern

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Raman Kang Raquel Leon Rebecca Factor Rezwana Habib Manjary Roaa Hameed, Ambassador Robyn Jones Roohi Dash Roselyn Tam Samantha Crane Sandie Ross Santa Kizikova Sarah Farrell Sarah Main, Lead Sarah McCarthy

Scarlet Nguyen Seuree Kim Shahbano Zaman Shaun McMahon Shay Kingsbury Sheku Nafisi Shruti Iyer Shruti Maheshwari Spoorthy Takkallapalli Stacie Au Stéfanni Brasil Susan Charara, Ambassador Susana Rubio Talia Smith

We’d like to acknowledge Sarah McCarthy and Katie Beaton, who dedicated days and nights on the road between September and November of 2017 in support of Alicia Close and Melanie Ewan.

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Tamara Ridha Tanveer Kaur Tina Dhaliwal Tom Hall Tyler Higgs Vanessa J. Wan Veronica Velayo Violetta Holl Viviane Carrer Yasmine Nadery Yen Neary Zoe Sinnott Zuhal Uluturk

In addition, we’d like to thank all of the regional volunteers that made each Community Conversation a success! We could not have done it without your support.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Event Partners AscenTech Solutions Inc. CodeCore Innovation Central Society Kamloops Innovation Lighthouse Labs

myCEO.ca Okanagan coLab Purpose Five Thompson Rivers University

UBC Department of Computer Science

Community Partners Accelerate Okanagan Bench Accounting Community Futures Discovery Foundation Driven By Women - BLG First Nations Technology Council GG Media Lab GRAIN Innovation Central Society

Inspiring Women Among Us Ladies Learning Code Mitacs Phil Mou Photography Raise Collective SCWIST Sidebuy Spring Activator Startup Vancouver

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

Talent Collective TechVancouver Telus Digital Venture Kamloops Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Enterprise Centre Women Leaders in BC Tech - BLAST Program

Crowdfunding Support Ali Eslami Alicia Close Allan D. Alvin Ahn Ammar Andy Kang Arrow Insurance Ashleigh Lodge BCjobs.ca Bev Smith Cathryn Nadjiwon Chester Wisniewski Chris Fraser Crash Wave Games Daily Hive Dave Close Dave Lindon Demi Pinsonneault Denis & Anthonia Elaine Li Elena Yugai Erica Glover Eva Taylor FamJam Financial Horizons Group Gaurav Singh Thakur Greg Driscoll Greg Ewan Guy Close Hana Sakuragi

Hanna Close Irvin Skk Jenni Merrifield Jennifer Vallee Jill Earthy Johannes Lindenbaum John Reid Josef Filipowicz Justin Womersley Kate Morrison Katie Beaton Katie Murray Katie Womersley Kayla Zimmermann Keira Sawatzky Kianoush Nesvaderani Kim Hong Kim Wysseier Kristina Raffaniello Liam Close Lindsay Paterson Lisa Muchaud Marat Asadurian Marcelle Kors Matt Billings Melissa and Brent Salter Melody Le Patourel Otto Learn Pamela Close Pillar Heights

Robitaille & Associates Inc. Rosy Lee Rouz Youssefi SJ Graham Sam Bostock Sandie Ross Sebastian Vetter Shane M. Jones Sharon and Mike Ewan Shirley McCarthy Sophia Sithole SPARK Creations & Company Spring Activator Stratos Data Tabea Weihmann Talent Collective Teresa Prouting Tina Maki Toly Kvitnitsky Tom Fitzgerald Tom Girdwood UpClose Team Voleo Wander Agency Wendy Lintunen Winona Wu Zahra Ahmadian Zip2Hire

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP

SUPPORTING THE DISCOVERY FOUNDATION & WOMEN IN TECH WORLD To learn how you can support the Discovery Foundation, please contact: E-mail: info@discoveryfoundation.ca Website: www.discoveryfoundation.ca/support-us/ To learn how you can support Women in Tech World, please contact: E-mail: partnerships@womenintechworld.com Website: www.womenintechworld.com/donate

DISCOVERY FOUNDATION - B.C.'S GENDER EQUITY ROADMAP