Canada urged to back women in STEM to power AI growth

Canadian technology leaders are using International Women's Day to highlight Canada's persistent gender gaps in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and to show how mentorship, sponsorship and targeted investment in women can drive innovation and growth.

Executives at Equinix, Sage and Telus share a view that representation in technical fields is a strategic issue for Canada's digital economy, not only a matter of equity.

STEM gap

Cinzia Bazzo, Canadian Managing Director at Sage, noted that women now earn more post-secondary credentials than men in Canada, but that has not translated into equal participation in STEM education or careers.

From 2010 to 2023, the number of women enrolled in STEM programmes grew 62 per cent, from just over 141,000 to nearly 229,000, according to Statistics Canada data she cited. That increase outpaced growth in male enrolment over the same period.

Even so, women account for fewer than two-fifths of STEM students nationwide. About 34 per cent of Canadians with a STEM degree are women. In the workforce, women make up less than 30 per cent of Canada's STEM workforce and roughly 23 per cent of those in science and technology roles.

Bazzo linked the gap to Canada's competitiveness, arguing that when women are missing from STEM classrooms, laboratories and leadership teams, the innovation pipeline narrows and ideas reflect a smaller slice of society.

AI adoption

Sage surveyed more than 2,000 Canadian small and mid-sized enterprises about digital tools and artificial intelligence. It found that 80 per cent of respondents see digital tools as essential for growth, and 51 per cent already use AI.

Medium-sized firms also integrate AI faster than small businesses. Bazzo said the pattern suggests a widening digital divide by company size and region-and by gender.

In the survey, 58 per cent of men reported using AI, compared with 43 per cent of women. One in three women entrepreneurs said they are not considering AI at all.

Many women also reported lower confidence in their digital skills, Bazzo said, which can become a barrier to experimentation and adoption. Without targeted action, she warned, today's digital divide could become a productivity divide.

Diverse teams also matter for the design and deployment of AI systems, she added, linking trustworthy and ethical AI to the inclusion of people with different genders, backgrounds and lived experiences in product and engineering teams.

Corporate action

Bazzo called for coordinated action from employers, educators and policymakers, including structured mentorship and sponsorship programmes for women in technical and leadership roles. She also pointed to early-talent programmes and internships that expose young women to technology careers in areas such as data, product, cybersecurity and AI.

She urged organisations to review hiring, promotion and pay practices for bias, and to use data to track progress over time. She also encouraged partnerships with universities, colleges and community organisations focused on women entering, reskilling or re-entering STEM fields.

Sage supports initiatives that give young people access to technology and design experiences, including collaborations with LEGO League and Teens in AI. Bazzo said similar opportunities exist in Canada to connect girls with mentors who can demystify STEM careers and make pathways feel attainable.

Inclusive culture

Marc Mondesir, Managing Director of Equinix Canada, said women play a central role in shaping technology and digital infrastructure.

"Today, the world comes together to recognize and celebrate the contributions of women who shape and advance technology, business and society around the world. At Equinix, inclusion is a commitment we live. Building communities like our WomenConnect BRG and our global Women's Leadership Network helps create spaces for mentorship, sponsorship, and growth. I'm deeply proud to work alongside brilliant women engineers, operators, sales leaders, and technologists who are shaping the future of digital infrastructure and AI in Canada and beyond. To the women in technology everywhere-thank you for your leadership, your resilience, and your relentless pursuit of what's possible."

Investment focus

Telus is highlighting the role of financial and non-financial support in keeping women in STEM education and early careers. The Telus Friendly Future Foundation issues student bursaries and provides digital connectivity, mental health support, mentorship and paid micro-internships.

Nimmi Kanji, the foundation's Executive Director, said it looks beyond grades when selecting recipients, seeking evidence of resilience, purpose and a commitment to positive change. She described lived experience of social and economic challenges as a strength that can inform problem-solving.

Bursary holders can also serve on Telus Community Boards, which allow young leaders to help decide charitable grants for youth-focused organisations.

Kanji described investment in women and people from underrepresented communities as a strategic move, linking support for one young woman to knock-on effects for families, networks and peers who see themselves in that success story.

Representation effects

Allyson McElwain, Telus Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, said representation at senior levels sends visible signals to talent across organisations.

She drew a distinction between passive diversity initiatives and what she called intentional inclusion: designing systems, processes and cultures where diverse voices shape decisions and strategy.

McElwain pointed to ongoing barriers, including the "sponsorship trap," where women receive advice but not direct advocacy, and the "credibility tax," where their expertise is questioned more often. She framed these as prompts for structural change, not reasons to retreat.

She urged emerging leaders not to minimise their differences, adding that the right organisations will value authentic stories and perspectives.

McElwain also said some companies have pulled back from diversity and inclusion efforts over the past year. She argued that this is the moment to reinforce commitments rather than slow them, warning that retreat can send a message about whose futures matter.

At Telus, leaders describe mentorship, sponsorship and outcome tracking as critical elements of support, alongside programmes such as the bursary scheme that assisted software engineering student Rabab Raza. Raza has spoken about the impact of financial stability and recognition on her ability to remain in STEM studies.

Bazzo said the key question for Canada is whether leaders are ready to move from talking about gender equity in STEM to consistently modelling specific actions in their own organisations.