The Government of Canada announces $1.5 million in federal funding to help British Columbians address workplace sexual harassment

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 20, 2026 /CNW/ - Workers in British Columbia will continue to receive free legal advice and education to help address workplace sexual harassment, supported by $1.5 million in federal funding. The Sexual Harassment Advice, Response and Prevention for Workplaces (SHARP Workplaces) project, is being delivered by the Community Legal Assistance Society. It will provide free legal advice and resources to workers across the province, including those in rural and remote areas. 

The announcement was made today by the Honourable Hedy Fry, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

The Community Legal Assistance Society will use the funding to provide up to five hours of free legal advice in person, by phone, or via video conference, to British Columbians experiencing workplace sexual harassment. It will also offer referrals to other services such as counselling, housing, and employment support.

In addition to direct legal services, the Community Legal Assistance Society will conduct outreach activities, develop legal resource materials and public legal education resources, and train lawyers and staff to deliver trauma-informed and culturally appropriate services. These efforts aim to increase awareness of legal rights and responsibilities in the workplace, particularly among vulnerable workers in male-dominated trades.

With a recent increase in violence in BC workplaces, including bullying, harassment and sexual harassment complaints, there is a growing need to provide support to workers through free legal advice and resources. This project will help workers be informed of their rights and responsibilities and seek the services they need.

Quotes

"This funding will help British Columbians who have experienced workplace sexual harassment understand their rights and access to resources. By supporting the Community Legal Assistance Society to deliver this initiative, the federal government is helping vulnerable workers get the culturally appropriate support they need to navigate difficult situations and protect their well-being."

-- The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., K.C.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

"The federal government is making this funding available so that if a woman in the trades is being harassed at work, she has somewhere to turn. She can get free, confidential legal help and real support, without having to choose between her safety and her job."

-- The Honourable Hedy Fry, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre

"We welcome the Federal Government's continued funding of the SHARP Workplaces program through the Department of Justice. Sexual harassment in the workplace remains a serious and unacceptably common issue for workers in British Columbia, and access to free legal advice has been shown to make a meaningful difference in people's lives. This renewed funding will enable us to expand the program to provide education for workers in especially hard hit industries, such as the trades, to know their rights and better address sexual harassment when it happens."

-- Jacqui Mendes, Executive Director of Community Legal Assistance Society

Quick Facts

• This funding is provided through the Legal Support and Awareness to Address Workplace Sexual Harassment initiative, announced in Budget 2024. This initiative committed $30 million over three years to provide access to legal information and advice services for Canadians.
• Data from Statistics Canada and a Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children (CREVAWC) study demonstrate that women and people identifying as 2SLGBT+, particularly those who are Indigenous or racialized, are more vulnerable to sexual harassment.
• From 2018 to 2022, acts of violence increased 25% in BC from 2,292 to 2,868 workers' compensation claims, with 950 bullying and harassment complaints, including sexual harassment.

Associated links

• Access to Justice
• Justice Partnership and Innovation Program
• Legal Aid Program
• Legal Support and Awareness to Address Workplace Sexual Harassment
• Community Legal Assistance Society

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SOURCE Department of Justice Canada

Contacts: For more information, media may contact: Lola Dandybaeva, Manager of Media Relations, Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, 343-549-0347, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]