Question Period Note: Supporting Women's Shelters, Sexual Assault Centres, and Other Organizations Providing Gender-Based Violence Supports and Services across Canada during COVID-19

What has the Government done to support people facing gender-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic?

• The Government of Canada moved swiftly to support women’s shelters so that those facing gender-based violence would have a safe place to turn to during COVID-19 when they faced greater isolation.

• Since April 2020, over $235M in emergency COVID-19 funding has been provided to 1,400 organizations across Canada, including women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other organizations providing critical supports and services to those experiencing gender-based violence.

• This funding supports continuity of services and enhances the capacity of organizations that provide critical and often life-saving services and supports for women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+people experiencing violence. Because of this funding, more than 1.3 million individuals experiencing violence had a safe place to go and access to supports.

• Budget 2022 invested $539.3Mover 5 years, starting in 2022-23, “to support provinces and territories in their efforts to implement the forthcoming National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence”, including enhancing services and supports to prevent gender-based violence and support survivors.

Investment

• Since April 2020, the Department has provided over $$235M in COVID-19 emergency funding to 1,400 organizations providing services and supports to those experiencing gender-based violence (GBV) across the country.
• Funding has supported organizations in every province and territory, including those serving Northern, rural and remote communities. The breakdown by province and territory is as follows:

Province # of Organizations Total Investment
Alberta 141 $26,634,259
British Columbia 225 $44,569,242
Manitoba 61 $9,304,617
New Brunswick 36 $8,556,535
Newfoundland 36 $5,826,960
Northwest Territories 7 $1,951,780
Nova Scotia 39 $7,707,445
Nunavut 10 $2,158,015
Ontario 386 $74,989,530
Prince Edwards Island 9 $1,154,618
Quebec 385 $41,183,889
Saskatchewan 53 $9,842,806
Yukon 12 $2,561,631
Grand Total 1,400 $236,441,327

2020 COVID-19 Funding for Shelters and Sexual Assault Centres

• As part of its COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, the Government of Canada, through WAGE, distributed an initial $90M to shelters, sexual assault centres and organizations providing critical GBV supports to women and children experiencing violence. Due to high demand, WAGE leveraged an additional $9.5M in existing program funding, bringing the total funding to $99.5M.

• This initial funding was distributed as follows:

o $36.24M was provided to Women’s Shelters Canada to redistribute to women’s shelters, including Indigenous Off-Reserve shelters across the country (outside of Québec);
o $40.83M to Canadian Women’s Foundation to redistribute to sexual assault centres, women’s organizations, and other organizations providing supports and services to those experiencing GBV (outside of Québec), with $7.2M coming from WAGE’s grants and contributions program budget;
o $17.46M to the Province of Québec to redistribute to women’s shelters and organizations that support victims of sexual and domestic violence across the province, with $2.3M coming from WAGE’s grants and contributions program budget; and
o $5M to support the mobilization of grassroots and community organizations to further coordinate and support their important work.

Budget 2021 Funding for Organizations Addressing Gender-Based Violence

• Budget 2021 committed $601.3M over five years, starting in 2021-22, to advance the development of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. From this funding, WAGE is distributing nearly $200M over two years, starting in 2021-22, to enhance the capacity and responsiveness of organizations that provide critical and often life-saving services and supports for women, girls, and Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and additional sexually and gender diverse people (2SLGBTQI+) experiencing violence.

• The Budget 2021 funding is being distributed as follows:
o $81.5M to Women’s Shelters Canada to redistribute to women’s shelters across the country (outside of Québec);
o $70.6M to Canadian’s Women Foundation to redistribute to sexual assault centres, women’s organizations, and other organizations providing supports and services to those experiencing GBV (outside of Québec); and
o $44.4M for the Government of Québec to redistribute to women’s shelters and organizations that support victims of sexual and domestic violence across the province.

Results

• Of the $300M in emergency COVID-19 funding committed, over $235M in total funding has been provided since April 2020 to 1,400 women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other organizations providing services and supports to those experiencing GBV across the country.
o 559 organizations used the funding to deliver important programs or services.
o 497 organizations used the funding for additional staff or overtime; 448 organizations hired new staff.
o 335 organizations used the funding for infection control.
• Since April 2020, more than 1.3 million individuals had a safe place to turn to because of this funding.
• The remaining funding is continuing to be disbursed and expected to reach organizations by March 31, 2023.

Project examples

• COVID emergency funding is supporting immediate needs such as protective equipment, childminding, helping women find alternative housing, and additional staff coverage and capacity. Funding is also being used to test and evaluate service approaches adapted in response to the pandemic and for long-term planning to prepare for a post-pandemic environment.
• Examples of organizations that received this funding through Women’s Shelters Canada, Canadian Women’s Foundation and the Government of Québec include:
o Minwaashin Lodge-Indigenous Women's Support Centre (Ontario): $513,677
o Black Canadian Women in Action Society (Alberta): $229,866
o Maison pour femmes immigrantes (Québec): $214,600
o Hope Haven Inc. (Newfoundland and Labrador): $354,754
o The Arctic Rose Foundation (Nunavut): $166,410

BACKGROUND:

• From the start, Canada’s COVID-19 response measures have been informed by a feminist and intersectional analysis, to ensure that our approach provides support to those who need it most.

• Through WAGE, the Government of Canada has committed approximately $300M in emergency COVID-19 funding to organizations supporting those experiencing GBV.

• Budget 2022 further proposes to invest $539.3M 5 years, starting in 2022-23, “to support provinces and territories in their efforts to implement the forthcoming National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence”.

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