Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Canada
Canada: Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits was 1.6% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Canada, 1980–2022
Source: OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Canada is 1.6%, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 27.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Canada peaked at 1.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1989.
Canada ranks 32nd of 41 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Canada, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.7% | — |
| 1981 | 0.8% | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 0.8% | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 0.7% | -3.9% |
| 1984 | 0.7% | -5.2% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | -4.0% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | -8.8% |
| 1987 | 0.6% | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 0.6% | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 0.6% | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 0.7% | +17.9% |
| 1992 | 0.6% | -13.1% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +63.2% |
| 1994 | 0.9% | -6.4% |
| 1995 | 0.9% | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 0.8% | -4.8% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 0.8% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 0.8% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | +5.1% |
| 2001 | 1.0% | +15.4% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 1.1% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | +11.7% |
| 2007 | 1.2% | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 1.2% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 1.3% | +7.6% |
| 2010 | 1.3% | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 1.6% | +32.8% |
| 2016 | 1.7% | +10.4% |
| 2017 | 1.7% | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | +6.2% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 1.6% | -9.5% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | 1.2% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.7% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 29 Switzerland 1.7% compare
- 30 South Korea 1.7% compare
- 31 Netherlands 1.6% compare
- 33 Spain 1.5% compare
- 34 Italy 1.4% compare
- 35 Ireland 1.3% compare
More work & labour data for Canada
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.3334 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.3231 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6552 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 39,234 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,715 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 26,798 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 26,814 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 53,612 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Canada?
- Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Canada was 1.6% in 2022, according to OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment vs. public spending on family benefits recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 1.8% in 2019.
- What is the lowest female employment vs. public spending on family benefits recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1989.
- How does Canada rank for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits?
- Canada ranks 32nd out of 41 countries with data for 2022.
- Is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Public social expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage. Includes both in-cash and in-kind benefits in family programs.