Crisis hotlines are a lifeline to survivors of gender-based violence and are critical support services. During the pandemic, the demand for crisis hotline services significantly increased across Canada and this demand continues today.
Today, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, was joined by the Honourable Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Ontario's Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, and the Honourable Charmaine Williams, Ontario's Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity, to announce $8 million to support crisis hotlines across Ontario.
This four-year funding will help Ontario crisis hotlines offer more robust services, resources, and supports to serve the urgent needs of all survivors of gender-based violence and their families, no matter where they live in the province.
This announcement marks the 9th bilateral agreement recently signed with provincial and territorial governments to support crisis lines. Since August 2022, the Government of Canada has announced agreements in Manitoba, Yukon, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan. The Government of Canada continues to work with other provinces and territories to finalize similar bilateral agreements.
This announcement builds on the historic endorsement of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers responsible for the Status of Women in November 2022. It also builds upon the Government of Canada's commitment to provide approximately $300 million in emergency COVID-19 funding to support individuals experiencing gender-based violence. Since April 2020, the Government of Canada has invested over $259 million of emergency COVID-19 funding in 1,400 women's shelters, sexual assault centres, and other organizations, including almost 140 organizations that serve Indigenous individuals.
