Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) membership at the Director’s Guild of Canada (DGC) increased slightly from 2022, but “gaps persist in both income and representation,” according to the results of the guild’s second annual census.

The 2023 census results were released on Monday (Jan. 29), showing that 19.4% of respondents identified as BIPOC, compared to the 18.3% in 2022.

An estimated 80.6% of DGC members identified as Caucasian, while 9.5% identified as Asian, 2.9% as Black, 2.7% as Indigenous, 2.4% as Latin American and 1.2% as Arab.

Like the 2022 census, the DGC said the new census results show BIPOC communities are “significantly underrepresented.” It added, however, that BIPOC representation among new respondents fared better, with 25.2% identifying as BIPOC.

“These results underline a greater member interest in contributing to the data we collect as an organization, as well as increased BIPOC representation among those entering the guild,” read the report.

Ontario had the highest percentage of BIPOC-identifying members with 23.2%, followed by Manitoba at 20.4%, B.C. at 18.7%, Alberta at 13.5% and Quebec at 12.6%.

The census questionnaire focused on a broad range of demographic characteristics such as “ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability status,” as well as work-related categories such as “directing, design, logistics, locations, accounting, production and post-production.” It was completed by 89.9% of members, according to the report.

The report also included new data on member income, based on the questionnaire and its internal database, showing disparities between various groups.

The data shows that men continue to be the highest-earning members, with an an average total income of $85,872 per year, compared to $77,748 for women. Average earnings came to $55,409 for members who identify as gender non-conforming and $59,479 for members who identify as non-binary.

Caucasian members also have a higher total income per year than any other group with an average of $82,814. In comparison, Asian members earned an average of $81,119; $73,021 for Black members; and $63,913 for Indigenous members.

The DGC said that findings in other categories were similar to those to the census in 2022, with membership “overrepresented” by men, with the group accounting for 56.4% of its membership compared to women at 43.2%. The report said the results also show a continuation of a “major trend” that men were much less likely to disclose their gender than other groups.

The report said two figures that need “further study” are that “2.5% of all members identifying as transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming (which was 1.8% in 2022) and members living with a disability, which comprise 8.4% of members – up from 7.9% in 2022.” Nearly 14.8% of members chose not to disclose their disability status.

DGC president Warren P. Sonoda said in a statement that, while the 2023 census “is promising and more in line with the Canadian population, we still have a long way to go to ensure that we represent the diversity of stories and audiences across the country.”

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