Since rolling out in 2024, the Canadian branch of the U.S.-based Women of Asphalt (WoA) is paving the way for women in the industry to connect as it now touts a membership that is climbing to the 200 mark.
“We have members in all provinces, except the Northwest Territories,” said Ania Anthony, spokeswoman of the Canadian group and an industry member as she serves as director of materials and surfacing for Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Highways Design and Construction Division.
The WoA leadership team for the Canadian entity has also drawn in members from roadbuilding associations.
“We have two members who are managers for heavy construction associations,” said Anthony of these women, who come from the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association and the Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association.
Membership in the Canadian WoA branch is free and its current focus is on networking and support for women in the asphalt industry.
The members are diverse. They include paving operators, safety personnel, those involved with asphalt products and sales, engineers, business owners and company managers.
“Anyone who touches asphalt,” said Anthony.
While the association is directed towards women, there is an allied section under which men can join.
WoA started in the U.S. in 2017 when Amy Miller, during her role as national director for the Asphalt Paving Alliance, discussed the concept with several women in the industry. They embraced the idea.
Since the summer of 2017, Miller, along with Ashley Batson, Dr. Audrey Copeland, Natasha Ozybko and Tracie Schlich have become the founding members of an organization that has since grown into a large network throughout the U.S.
“What happened was a colleague of mine brought the organization to my attention in 2022,” said Anthony, who liked the idea.
She approached the U.S. chair of the WoA regarding bringing the concept to Canada.
“There were already members of the organization that were in Canada,” she said.
It became a means of linking the Canadian members together and drawing in new members to build a community.
When the Canadian branch was approved Anthony was then tasked with finding a host and that came in the form of the Canadian Technical Asphalt Association (CTTA), an organization she has been a strong supporter of and a past-president. The CTTA claims it is the sole Canadian association that is dedicated to asphalt, asphalt mixes, products, manufacturing processes and related technology. WoA now appears on the CTTA website.
“The organization is about establishing a community and support for women in that community. It is not technical in the sense of community,” she said, adding the women in the Canadian branch of WoA are spread all through Canada and the organization is working on building a critical mass. “Our big thing is to create a place for industry members to belong, to meet new friends and to also meet mentors.”
The Canadian WofA also embraces the three key goals of the U.S. parent company: increasing awareness of industry opportunities for women; elevating their knowledge through education and available resources; and creating a platform that is supportive of women in the industry, prompting their participation.
Its mentorship program is one of the supports the Canadian branch makes available to its members, Anthony said. Applicants apply in the fall intake to be either a mentor or for a mentorship.
A group of peers will look at the applicants and available mentors and pair individuals. The partnerships last a year and at the end of the year, individuals wanting further mentorships can apply again to further increase their knowledge or focus on another phase of the industry.
As well as the mentorship program, WoA offers online events, webinars and in-person meetings. There are also events that can be attended through the larger U.S. organization which has numerous branches as well as a national convention.
The Canadian WoA will hold its national meeting in 2025 as part of the CTAA 70th Annual Conference in Toronto from Nov. 16 to 19. The CTAA venue changes every year and Anthony hopes to see it in Western Canada next year.
The WoA website also offers another advantage to women — a job board where employers can post positions. While the majority are U.S. based, there are Canadian postings.
Anthony said the Canadian branch is currently in building mode. It is looking at establishing “twigs” or smaller groups in regions such as the Atlantic provinces that will help women meet and gain a sense of community.
“It is taking us a while to get up to speed,” she said as “we are all volunteers,” so she asking members to be patient as they work towards building a national forum for women.
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