Question Period Note: National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence

What is the status of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence?

• In January 2021, federal, provincial and territorial Ministers responsible for the Status of Women endorsed the Joint Declaration for a Canada Free of Gender-Based Violence, which confirmed common vision, principles and goals for responding to gender-based violence.

• The National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence is a joint federal, provincial and territorial framework, which will focus on ensuring that anyone facing gender-based violence has reliable and timely access to protection and services, no matter where they live. National Indigenous Organizations are also involved in developing the plan.

• Budget 2021 committed $601.3M over five years “to advance towards a new National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence”.

• Budget 2022 committed $539.3M over five 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”.

The intent is to finalize the National Action Plan and begin negotiations with provinces and territories at a meeting planned before the end of 2022, consistent with my December 2021 mandate letter.

Starting with most recent investments

• Budget 2022 proposes to invest $539.3M over five 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”.

• Budget 2021 committed $601.3M over five years, starting in 2021-2022, “to advance towards a new National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence”:

Gender-Based Violence Program Enhancement
o $105M over five years for WAGE to enhance its Gender-Based Violence Program, with funding initiatives that engage men and boys and increasing funding for initiatives to stop human trafficking, which includes providing support to at-risk populations and victims and survivors of human trafficking. It will also provide support for testing and implementing best practices to address gender-based violence, with a focus on projects that could be scaled at the national level.
o Over $31.1M has been invested in 74 projects focused on addressing gender-based violence and supporting those who experience it.
o Several joint projects with provinces and territories following the January 2021 Joint Declaration for a Canada Free of Gender-Based Violence were funded through the Gender-Based Violence Program.

Crisis Hotlines
o $30M over five years for WAGE to support crisis hotlines across Canada. This will help to serve the urgent needs of more individuals in Canada experiencing gender-based violence by offering more robust services, resources, and supports to prevent the escalation of gender-based violence.
o WAGE will distribute thisfunding to crisis hotlines through contribution bilateral agreements with provincial and territorial governments.
o Negotiations with provinces and territories are underway. On August 10, 2022, a signed agreement with Manitoba was jointly announced by Ministers Ien and Squires.

• Emergency COVID-19 Funding
o The Government of Canada moved swiftly to support women’s shelters and ensure those facing gender-based violence have a safe place to turn during the COVID-19 pandemic.
o Since April 2020, the Department has provided over $235M in COVID-19 emergency funding to 1,400 organizations, including women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other organizations providing critical supports and services to those experiencing gender-based violence.
o This funding ensures the continuity of services and enhances the capacity 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. Because of this funding, more than 1.3 million individuals experiencing violence had a safe place to go and access supports across Canada.

Results

• Bilateral funding agreements with provinces and territories continue to be negotiated, and therefore there are no results directly linked to the GBV NAP at this time.

Project example

• Bilateral funding agreements with provinces and territories have not yet been negotiated, and therefore there are no project examples directly linked to the GBV NAP at this time.

BACKGROUND:
• In December 2019, the Minister for Women and Gender Equality was mandated to build on the foundation laid by the federal GBV Strategy and move forward with the development of a National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.

• The December 2021 mandate letter to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth reiterated this Government of Canada priority. Specifically, Minister Ien was mandated to “move forward with the development of a 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, begin negotiations with the provinces and territories within a year, and accelerate the establishment of a dedicated Secretariat”.

• The National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence has been informed by engagement with civil society, Indigenous partners and community leaders, the Minister’s Advisory Council on Gender-Based Violence, and recommendations from a wide range of stakeholders and experts.

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