Everyone has a right to live free from violence. Yet, gender-based violence continues to have devastating impacts on individuals, families and communities across Canada. Meaningful progress requires sustained action, strong partnerships, and continued investments in prevention and supports for victims, survivors, and their families.
Today, while Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women gathered in New Brunswick, the co-chairs, the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), and the Honourable Lyne Chantal Boudreau, Minister responsible for Women and Gender Equity for the Government of New Brunswick, as well as Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Member of Parliament for Moncton-Dieppe, announced $607.4 million over four years, beginning in 2027-28, to continue the implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence.
The National Action Plan to End Gender Based Violence is a 10-year plan, launched in 2022, that brings together federal, provincial, and territorial governments working towards a Canada free from gender-based violence.
This investment will support the renewal of bilateral agreements with provinces and territories under the National Action Plan, ensuring continued coordinated action to prevent gender-based violence, strengthen services and supports for victims and survivors, advance community-led initiatives, and build safer communities across Canada.
This builds on the initial investment of $539.3 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to support the provinces and territories in their efforts to implement the National Action Plan. The current bilateral agreements have already led to significant progress in strengthening services, expanding prevention initiatives, and improving support for victims and survivors. In 2024-2025 alone, more than one million people accessed support services, and over 27,400 prevention resources were delivered including education, awareness and early intervention initiatives aimed at stopping violence before it occurs.
Minister Valdez also announced $31 million over five years, with $6.2 million ongoing, to renew federal funding for provincial and territorial crisis hotlines. This investment will help crisis hotline providers sustain and enhance trauma-informed services, ensuring that people experiencing gender-based violence can access timely support whenever they need it.
Ending gender-based violence requires action across all levels of government, in partnership with communities, organizations and individuals across Canada. The continuation of the National Action Plan is made possible through close collaboration between federal, provincial and territorial governments, working in close partnership with victims and survivors, Indigenous partners, direct service providers, experts, advocates, municipalities, the private sector and researchers.
