  The lack of diversity in physics remains a persistent worldwide problem.
Despite being a quantitative discipline which relies on measurements to
construct and validate hypotheses, there remains a paucity of data on both
demographics and experiences of marginalized groups. In Canada, there has never
been a nationwide assessment of those studying or working in physics. Here, we
present findings from Canadian Physics Counts: the first national survey of
equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the Canadian physics community. Our
intersectional approach allowed us to gather a wealth of information on gender
identity, sexual orientation, race, disability, and more. Analyses revealed key
findings, including the first data on physicists who identify as non-binary or
gender diverse, as well as the first data on Black and Indigenous scholars.
Black physicists (1.2%) and Indigenous physicists (.3%) were found to be the
most underrepresented, while White men were overrepresented across all sectors.
Among respondents with a disability, 5% reported receiving full accommodations
for their required needs at their place of work or study. One in four
respondents from BIPOC gender diverse backgrounds identified as being disabled,
and the proportion of sexually diverse students who reported having a
disability was more than three times higher than the proportion of heterosexual
students with a disability. The data also revealed that students represented
more demographic diversity than working professionals, highlighting the
importance of acting today in order to retain the diverse physicists of
tomorrow. Our analysis identifies areas for intervention and offers
recommendations for building a diverse and inclusive physics community in
Canada that can be a global exemplar.
