Women at Home

As a young woman just graduating high school, Tena Egar normally would have had few options for work. Women did have career ​opportunities in some fields, such as teaching. However, during the war women in Canada were ​filling positions traditionally held by men, like producing food and working in factories. In 1917 there were 35,000 women working in factories in Ontario and Quebec. Women ​also trained with rifles and completed military drills.  Despite women’s contributions, many jobs were given to the men once they had returned from war.

Watch a short video​ made by York University on Canadian women's role in the war.