There is definitely evidence that a STEAM approach helps with gender balance. What I was getting at earlier is that to just focus on that outcome can be detrimental and misses a much wider aspect of this, which is not only about inclusivity. Not sure how things are in Canada, but in the UK there is an issue with “disciplinary silos” in education, something also being criticised by industry. This is an interesting read on this - Fix the pipeline for STEAM talent in the creative economy | Nesta
So, yes, I’m quite into the whole STEAM thing, and think that creative coding is the most obvious and necessary way to teach coding, full stop! 
Isn’t it just! Hang around a few more years and you might be teaching this to my cousin’s daughter, then I can ask her for her opinion on it. 
Nice course outline btw!