Women’s Shelters Canada (WSC) commends the federal government’s announcement of Budget 2025 earlier this week. We welcome the stable, multi-year funding for the Department of Women and Gender Equality (WAGE). The government continues to act on the most pressing needs of housing and violence prevention to halt the rise of gender-based violence (GBV). Protecting WAGE from government-wide austerity measures by minimizing its departmental cuts to 2% preserves it from losing valuable ground as it works to fulfill its role in advancing gender equity in Canada.
However, this budget has limited focus on root causes, and it is concerning to see no increased investments in childcare, such as extending a universal program to many more families. Expanding access to universal childcare supports women’s participation in the workforce, strengthens family well-being, and can be life-changing for survivors of domestic violence.
The Economy and Jobs for Survivors
Childcare is closely tied to economic capacity, and WSC would like to see greater recognition of the connection between safety and economic independence for women. Commitments to promote stable jobs and establish a voluntary code of conduct to prevent economic abuse are positive steps for women that support the economic well-being of survivors. However, survivors must have access to comprehensive programs that build financial stability, support their choices, and strengthen their capacity to build livelihoods free from violence.
Supportive Housing
We are heartened to see strong investments in affordable housing, specifically transition and supportive options for women and survivors of gender-based violence. Providing $1 billion to build transitional and supportive housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness is essential. It is imperative that this funding maintains a dedicated stream or carve-out for building new housing specifically for survivors of gender-based violence and their children.
Previously, the National Housing Strategy guaranteed 25% of investments that would support women-led households, and WSC expects to see a similar level of prioritization in Build Canada Homes. This includes establishing a dedicated stream of funding, such as the Women and Children’s Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative, announced in Budget 2021.
Shelters and GBV
We see and appreciate the federal government’s commitment to funding dedicated to the safety of women, children, and gender-diverse people. The government announced a welcome $223.4 million over five years for WAGE, starting in 2026-27, for GBV programs that are sunsetting, with $44.7 million ongoing, to strengthen federal action in response to gender-based violence. This enables us to imagine, innovate, and build a shelter system that can face today’s challenges and those of the years to come. The level of funding delivered during the pandemic was historic and necessary to address soaring rates of GBV and femicide. The evidence shows that while the COVID-19 pandemic may have ended, the shadow pandemic of GBV has not.
National Action Plan on GBV
We welcome the further commitment to the National Action Plan (NAP) on Gender-Based Violence for an additional ten years, in recognition of the lifesaving work shelters and service providers do.
We appreciate that these commitments through Canada’s NAP are long-term and significant; however, our questions remain unanswered as to what that specifically looks like once the current investment expires in 2027. The government must help stabilize the violence against women (VAW) shelter and transition house (TH) sector by adequately funding the community-based, feminist, survivor-serving organizations.
All ongoing and future GBV funding must respond to the specific needs of women with disabilities, Indigenous and racialized women, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people, as they are disproportionately affected by violence. Organizations supporting these communities have consistently faced long-term underfunding.
Further, there has been a consistent gap in the NAP that fails to recognize the need for funding the essential work to address, reduce, and end sexual violence. This cannot continue – in order to end GBV, we must see dedicated and sustainable funding for organizations dealing with sexual violence in Canada.
To monitor the implementation of Canada’s National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence and future efforts to end gender-based violence, we call on the government to create an independent federal Gender-Based Violence Commissioner.
WSC’s roadmap to the National Action Plan incorporates the collective expertise from coast to coast to coast of frontline workers, researchers, and advocates. Their conclusions continue to provide the roadmap to ending gender-based violence: we look forward to working with the federal government to craft the future of the plan when the current investment expires in 2027. We need billions, not millions. This is the generational investment that will transform Canada in our lifetimes.
In Summary
Budget 2025 demonstrates continued attention to gender equity, but consistency in robust, long-term investment is needed to truly end gender-based violence. We look forward to co-creating the path that will lead to long-term impact. We are committed to working collaboratively with the federal government in the years to come to make Canada a global leader on the issues of gender equality, affordable housing, and gender-based violence.