Crisis hotlines are a lifeline for survivors of gender-based violence and are critical support services. During the pandemic, the demand for crisis hotline services has significantly increased across Canada.
Today, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, announced $700,000 to support crisis hotlines across Nova Scotia. Minister Ien was joined by the Honourable Karla MacFarlane, Minister responsible for the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, to announce the bilateral agreement.
This funding will help Nova Scotia crisis hotlines serve the urgent needs of Canadians. The crisis hotlines will offer more robust services, resources, and support to prevent the escalation of gender-based violence.
This announcement marks one of the bilateral agreements recently signed with provincial and territorial governments. Over the next few months, the Government of Canada will continue to work with other provinces and territories to finalize similar bilateral agreements.
This announcement builds on yesterday's historic endorsement of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence. This endorsement fulfills a longstanding commitment of Federal-Provincial-Territorial governments to work together toward a Canada free of gender-based violence, a Canada that supports victims/survivors and their families from coast to coast to coast.
Minister Ien also announced $525,000 for GuysWork, a pilot project aimed at developing a transformative school-based program for male-identified students across elementary, middle, and high school grades. The program is designed to help boys navigate the intense pressures and expectations around masculinity that shape their identities as men. The pilot project will see it expanded to more schools and other provinces throughout Atlantic Canada. The Government of Nova Scotia will also provide $525,000 towards this project.
Today's announcements further support the Government of Canada's commitment to providing approximately $300 million in emergency COVID-19 funding to support individuals experiencing gender-based violence. Since April 2020, we've invested over $240 million of emergency COVID-19 funding in 1,400 women's shelters, sexual assault centers, and other organizations.
