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e-7407 (Employment and labour)
- Keywords
- Invisible Work Day
- Unpaid work
E-petition
Initiated by Emma Saffar from Montréal, Quebec
Original language of petition: French
Petition to the Government of Canada
Whereas:
- Invisible work (childcare, caregiving, household management, volunteering, unpaid internships and work in family businesses) is a fundamental pillar of society;
- This work, which is predominantly carried out by women, represents between 25% and 37% of GDP, according to Statistics Canada;
- The lack of recognition for this work perpetuates gender inequalities, income gaps and economic insecurity, particularly for women facing intersectional barriers;
- An aging population and a lack of public services are placing a disproportionate burden on families and caregivers;
- There is an urgent need to recognize the economic and social value of invisible work in Canada and to take action to incorporate it into national statistics, economic analyses and public policy development.
We, the undersigned, Citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
1. Include a question on invisible work in the census and account for its economic value in the calculation of GDP;
2. Establish a national leave and benefits program for caregivers and initiate work to enhance pension plans so that individuals performing invisible work are not penalized;
3. Guarantee access to universal, affordable and high-quality childcare services adapted to rural and Indigenous realities, while respecting the jurisdictions of federal and provincial governments;
4. Ensure that all mandatory federal internships are paid and support school-work-life balance;
5. Designate the first Tuesday in April as National Invisible Work Day to raise public awareness and challenge stereotypes.
- Open for signature
- May 19, 2026, at 11:07 a.m. (EDT)
- Closed for signature
- September 16, 2026, at 11:07 a.m. (EDT)
