TORONTO, Feb. 27, 2026 /CNW/ - Every person in Canada deserves to live free from violence. By strengthening coordinated, community-based responses, the federal government is helping ensure that victims and survivors of gender-based violence receive timely, effective, and life-saving support, while building safer, more resilient communities across the country.
Today, Julie Dzerowicz, Member of Parliament for Davenport, on behalf of the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), announced $871,262 in funding for the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto (WomanACT), for their project Community Wellness – Canadian Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Pilot.
Through an initial investment of $920,917 provided through Women and Gender Equality Canada's Gender-based Violence Program, WomanACT tested the MARAC model in a Canadian context, coordinating interventions of multiple agencies in responding to intimate partner violence. The model has previously been implemented and evaluated in other settings, where it has led to fewer women being repeated victims of intimate partner violence, provided holistic support, and improved the quality of life for victims and survivors. The additional funding will allow WomanACT to implement the pilot in Toronto. It will also help the organization collaborate with partners to adapt the project to communities in Alberta, using lessons from Ontario to build capacity and help shape a coordinated, multi-agency response model.
Through stronger partnerships, enhanced frontline capacity, and the exchange of best practices, this initiative will create a more coordinated and evidence-based approach to support victims and survivors of gender-based violence. This funding will enhance collaboration across these jurisdictions, improve services for those most at risk, and contribute to safer, more resilient communities.
The Gender-based Violence Program will continue to strengthen federal action on gender-based violence with a recent commitment of $223.4 million over five years, with $44.7 million in ongoing funding, advancing the vision of a Canada free from gender-based violence from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
Quotes
"Ending gender-based violence requires strong partnerships, effective tools, and a shared commitment to protecting victims and survivors. The MARAC model brings service providers together in ways that save lives. By supporting WomanACT's leadership and expanding this model to new communities, we are helping to ensure that victims and survivors of intimate partner violence can access the coordinated, reliable, and necessary support they need, no matter where they live."
The Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)
''Working partnership between the federal government and community organizations is vital to ensure a stronger response to ending gender-based violence. Our federal government's continued support to WomanACT allows community organizations to flourish and provide aid to communities across Toronto and Alberta. This funding will help Canadian's see results in research and practice toward ending Gender-based violence and ensuring a responsible model that connects community to all the resources available''
Julie Dzerowicz, Member of Parliament for Davenport
"This federal investment enables us to take a collaborative approach to responding to intimate partner violence and understand scalability needs in various communities across Toronto and Alberta. The model brings together police, health care, social services, and other vital community organizations to share information and coordinate support for survivors facing the highest risk--creating a safety net that no single agency can provide alone. This funding represents more than resources; it's a commitment to the kind of systems-level collaboration that can save lives. We're grateful to the federal government for recognizing that effective violence prevention requires sustained investment in coordination, capacity-building, and the relationships that make coordinated response possible."
Harmy Mendoza, Executive Director, Woman Abuse Council of Toronto (WomanACT)
Quick facts
- The Gender-based Violence Program helps community organizations across the country to provide support to at-risk or underserved populations. To date, over $84 million has been committed as part of the GBV Program enhancement for approximately 185 projects that support victims and survivors, prevent GBV, engage men and boys, and advance initiatives to stop human trafficking.
- In 2024-2025 alone, the GBV Program reached over 50,000 participants or people directly, contributed to the development of over 5,800 resources, and strengthened or developed over 600 partnerships and collaborations.
- Since the launch of the Federal GBV Strategy in 2017, the federal government has invested more than $820 million to end gender-based violence across the country.
- The 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is a commitment of federal, provincial, and territorial governments to work together towards a Canada free of gender-based violence – a Canada that supports victims, survivors and their families from coast to coast to coast.
- Between 2018 to 2024, police-reported intimate partner violence increased by 14%. In 2024, women and girls accounted for 78% of victims of intimate partner violence, and 42% of women who were killed in 2024 were killed by a spouse or intimate partner.
Associated links
- Gender-based Violence Program
- The federal Gender-based Violence Strategy
- The National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence
- WomanACT
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SOURCE Women and Gender Equality Canada
Contacts: Chris Zhou, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), 343-551-0457, [email protected] | Media Relations, Women and Gender Equality Canada, 819-420-6530, [email protected]
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