On July 16, Women and Gender Equality Canada announced $607.4 million over four years to continue implementing the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. Minister Valdez also announced $31 million over five years—with $6.2 million in ongoing annual funding—to sustain provincial and territorial crisis hotlines.
We are grateful that the federal government listened to the calls from sexual assault centres and gender-based violence organizations across Canada to protect this essential funding.
Crisis lines are not supplementary services. For many survivors and their loved ones, they are a lifeline: a place to be believed, find safety, understand their options, and reach immediate support. This continued investment helps protect services like Salal’s 24-Hour Crisis & Information Line and recognizes that survivors need support at all hours—not only when it is convenient or when funding is temporarily available.
We also welcome continued investment in the National Action Plan. A national plan cannot succeed without sustained funding for frontline services, prevention, community-led responses, and long-term systems change.
As Canada increasingly focuses on economic growth and strengthening the nation, we urge WAGE not to lose sight of its roots. Status of Women Canada emerged because feminist movements demanded that the government must at upon the unequal social, political, and economic conditions experienced by women. WAGE’s expanded mandate must continue this work for women, Two-Spirit, trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse people whose safety, dignity, and full participation are still constrained by gender-based violence and systemic inequity.
Economic prosperity and gender equality are not competing priorities.
Court-watch programs that expose how survivors are treated within the justice system strengthen Canada. Funding that allows feminist organizations to challenge harmful laws, policies, and institutional practices strengthens Canada. Investing in prevention, survivor support, community accountability, and organizations working to change the conditions that allow violence to continue strengthens Canada.
We thank Minister Valdez and WAGE for sustaining crisis-line funding and renewing the National Action Plan. We also call on the federal government to ensure its next phase includes long-term, flexible investment in feminist organizations, prevention, accountability, and systemic change.
The National Action Plan will only thrive when communities are resourced not only to respond to gender-based violence, but to transform the conditions that make it possible.