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City of Toronto’s Budget for 2024

January 16, 2024

WomanACT’s 2024 Pre-Budget Submission Violence against women is not only a human rights violation but has devastating physical, emotional, social and economic consequences for women. Housing, homelessness, and intimate partner […]

Opinion

Intimate Partner Violence and Hidden Homelessness

November 15, 2023

Violence against women is one of the main causes of homelessness and housing instability among women and children.   Approximately 30% of Canada’s homeless population are women, 91% of whom have […]

Opinion

Uniting For Change: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Sheds Light on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

September 27, 2023

As the nation prepares to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we emphasize the critical importance of this day in shedding light on the heartbreaking issue of missing […]

Press

Financialization of Purpose-Built Rental Housing

July 7, 2023

WomanACT’s submission for the National Housing Council’s Review Panel on the Financialization of Purpose-Built Rental Housing. Financialization is a growing trend toward the use of housing as an investment to […]

News

Improving responses to older women’s experiences of violence

June 15, 2023

Older women are disproportionately affected by violence. Older women are victims in 58% of family violence cases in Canada[i] and are twice as likely to be victims of intimate partner […]

Opinion

More than 45 Toronto Community Organizations Unite to Launch #ShowUpTO Campaign, Urging Mayoral Candidates to Address Poverty and Inequality

June 1, 2023

Toronto, June 1, 2023 – YWCA Toronto, WomanACT, Social Planning Toronto, and City for All have joined forces with more than 45 community organizations to launch the Show Up for […]

Press

A Place That Feels Like Home

March 27, 2023

This blog originally appeared on Homeless Hub. Survivors of gender-based violence can experience homelessness due to lack of access to safe and secure housing. They may be unable to access […]

Opinion

The gender gap in financial literacy persists in Canada, why?

November 7, 2022

Why is financial literacy a gender issue? Globally, there is a persistent gender gap in financial literacy. Financial literacy is understood as having the skills, knowledge, and capacity to make […]

Opinion

Engaging People with Lived Experience

October 27, 2022

Engaging people with lived experience of gender-based violence is central to WomanACT’s work. Survivors’ personal experiences of systemic barriers is key to creating solutions to overcome them. In addition, survivors’ […]

Opinion

How failing to consider intersectionality affects immigrant women in the workplace

October 6, 2022

Canada wants highly educated immigrants and has been more successful than other countries in attracting them. On average, immigrant women, for instance, have higher levels of formal education than Canadian-born […]

Uncategorized

Open Letter to All Toronto Mayoral and Council Candidates

October 3, 2022

Open Letter to All Toronto Mayoral and Council Candidates: We are a concerned group of non-profit organizations who are ringing the alarm bell on rising poverty and inequality in Toronto. […]

Press

Femicide in Canada

August 22, 2022

What is femicide? The United Nations has recognized femicide as the most extreme form of violence and discrimination against women and girls. Femicide is defined as the killing of women […]

Opinion

WomanACT and Angus Reid Group Public Transit Poll: 86% of people have experienced harassment on Toronto’s public transit system  

June 27, 2022

Toronto, ON – A new poll from the WomanACT in partnership with Angus Reid Group shows that experiences of harassment are common on public transit in Toronto. While 86% of […]

Press

Cross-sector partners aim to make work safe for everyone in traditionally male sectors  

May 24, 2022

Toronto, ON: Today, WomanACT and The Society for Canadian Women in Science & Technology (SCWIST) are pleased to announce partnerships with three employers who are dedicated to creating workplaces free […]

Uncategorized

Equal Pay Day in Canada

April 12, 2022

Today is Equal Pay Day. Equal Pay Day raises awareness of the gender pay gap and acknowledges how far into the year the average woman must work to earn what […]

News

Sexual harassment in STEM workplaces

February 24, 2022

In recent decades, the number of women and gender diverse people in STEM-related fields has been increasing. These folks are making important discoveries and spearheading progress in their industries and […]

Opinion

Dating violence among young people

February 13, 2022

The recent death of 22-year-old Gabby Petito in 2021 who was killed by her boyfriend, and the death of 23-year-old Lauren Smith-Fields who was found dead in her apartment following […]

Opinion

Safe at Home: It’s Time to Change Our Expectations About Women Leaving Home

February 2, 2022

“I was left with two options that didn’t work for me and I had to choose the lesser evil, instead of having to think about what would really work for […]

News

The impact of intimate partner violence on employment

January 16, 2022

Domestic and dating violence, or intimate partner violence, has a long term impact on women’s economic security. A lack of economic security can prevent a woman from leaving an abusive […]

Opinion

Financial abuse as a form of intimate partner violence: The role of financial services

November 18, 2021

Economic abuse is a common form of intimate partner violence. Studies have shown that anywhere from 94%[i] to 99%[ii] of women in abusive relationships have experienced some form of economic […]

Opinion

The economic recovery in Ontario must ensure women’s safety

August 11, 2021

The COVID19 pandemic may be novel, but the connection between violence and women’s economic security is not. As governments start to develop economic recovery plans, it is critical that women’s […]

Opinion

Canada’s Pay Equity Act coming into force

August 3, 2021

On August 31, 2021 the Pay Equity Act will come into force requiring federally registered employers to proactively plan around and compensate for pay gaps between women and men. The […]

Opinion

Driving change with Uber Canada

May 27, 2021

WomanACT is proud to partner with Uber Canada as part of Uber’s Driving Change initiative, a global commitment to support and partner with leading sexual assault and domestic violence organizations to […]

News

What Ontario’s 2021 budget means for women: The good, the bad, and the missing

March 31, 2021

Last week, Ontario released its 2021 budget. The budget focuses on protecting people’s health and the economy, and it charts the Province’s plan to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. With […]

Opinion

Informing a National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence

March 15, 2021

In January 2021, the Canadian government announced a commitment to develop a National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. Leading up to the development of the Plan, WomanACT undertook consultations […]

News

The financial literacy gender gap is a little more complex than we think

February 5, 2021

Finances play an important role in every person’s life. But despite advances made to women’s economic security in recent decades, women continue to face very different financial challenges than men. […]

Opinion

The Rapid Housing Initiative needs a gender equity perspective

September 23, 2020

In 2019, Canada committed to supporting the most vulnerable communities in accessing affordable and quality housing through the National Housing Strategy. The strategy identified women and children fleeing intimate partner […]

News

Deputation to Planning and Housing Committee on the COVID-19 Interim Shelter Recovery Strategy

September 22, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the housing challenges and crisis that exists. Housing remains one of the top barriers faced by women experiencing violence and the services that support them. […]

News

Staying in touch: Building better connections while social distancing

August 17, 2020

As my mom grasped the phone to check her app, the only thing on her mind was to check in on a friend that was miles away. Innovations in technology have made it so that my mother, and perhaps, many other women, now feel empowered by connections developed in virtual spaces during this novel time.

Opinion

A reflection on technology and wellness for women during the COVID-19 pandemic

July 21, 2020

Women and communities of gender diverse people have complicated relationships with social media. We always have. Social media is often a tool enabling violence online – used by perpetrators to […]

Opinion

Workplace Domestic Violence Program

July 1, 2020

1 in 3 employees across Canada have experienced domestic violence. Domestic violence is not restricted to the home and often extends into the workplace. As families across Canada have retreated […]

News

Becoming a trauma-informed organization event wrap up

March 11, 2020

Yesterday the Violence against Women Coordinating Committee held a training event on how to become a trauma informed organization. The event welcomed 62 participants representing 38 organizations from across the […]

News

IWD 2020 event wrap up

March 6, 2020

Today we celebrated International Women’s Day at the Keele Community Hub with our York South-Weston Community. Caring for our Communities, Caring for Ourselves focused on the importance of non-profits in […]

News

WomanACT project wins community-based research award

February 5, 2020

We are excited to share that our research partners at the University of Guelph have won the The SciShops Pitch Challenge for our community-based approach to our financial abuse research! […]

News

New research project looking into technology and access to justice

November 14, 2019

WomanACT is excited to share that we have received funding from The Law Foundation of Ontario to undertake research to explore how women experiencing violence use technology to access legal […]

News

Soul of a Warrior Awards 2019

November 8, 2019

Last night we came together to celebrate frontline sectoring working across the City to end violence against women. The Soul of a Warrior Awards recognizes front-line staff for their hard […]

News

We support: Childcare NOW! Coalition

October 22, 2019

Over the last several decades, an increase in the number of dual-earner and single families across Canada has steadily risen the demand for affordable, quality childcare. Close to half (46%) […]

News

New research report out on financial abuse as a form of intimate partner violence

October 1, 2019

We are excited to publish our new research into financial abuse as a form of intimae partner violence in the Toronto area: Hidden in the Everyday. Over the last 18 […]

News

Women Vote 2019 event wrap up

September 27, 2019

Last night we had over 75 people come out to our Annual General Meeting for our Women Vote 2019 event. We welcomed CityNews Toronto reporter Cynthia Mulligan who sat down […]

News

Creating a Gender Equity Strategy and Gender Equality Office at the City of Toronto

September 17, 2019

This week, WomanACT spoke to City Council about the critical importance of a city-wide Gender Equity Strategy and Gender Equality Office at the City of Toronto. While we commend the […]

News

Up For Debate 2019

August 16, 2019

The 2019 federal election will soon be upon us and we want all federal party leaders to tell Canadians what their positions are on women’s and gender equality issues. WomanACT is […]

News

Let’s Talk Housing: HousingTO 2020-2030 consultation

July 27, 2019

Finding adequate and affordable housing in Toronto has become increasingly difficult. For women and children looking to leave situations of domestic violence, finding safe and affordable housing can be one […]

News

WomanACT teams up with Uber Canada to help tackle gender-based violence

June 27, 2019

WomanACT is proud to partner with Uber as part of Uber’s Driving Change initiative, a global commitment to support and partner with leading sexual assault and domestic violence organizations around the […]

News

New research project into financial abuse as a form of intimate partner violence

October 22, 2018

WomanACT is undertaking community-based research into women’s experience of financial abuse as a form of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the Toronto area. Despite limited research on financial abuse as […]

News

Submission to CMHC on national human rights-based approach to housing

June 5, 2018

In November 2017, the Canadian government launched the first ever National Housing Strategy in Canada. As a part of this strategy, the federal government made a commitment to working towards […]

News

Our Election platform: Engage, Reform and Resource

May 4, 2018

The Ontario election is on June 7th and WomanACT is calling for all party leaders and candidates to prioritize issues of gender equity and women’s safety. ​Approximately every 6 days, […]

News

National Consultation underway on human rights-based approach to housing

May 3, 2018

In November 2017, the Canadian government launched the first ever National Housing Strategy in Canada. As a part of this strategy, the federal government made a commitment to working towards […]

News

Putting gender equity at the forefront of the Ontario 2018 election

May 2, 2018

Ontario Thrive is a non-partisan coalition of organizations and individuals coming together to ask political leaders and candidates for measurable commitments on gender equity in the Ontario 2018 Election. We want […]

News

Wrapping up our 2018 Supporting Survivors by Supporting Staff conference

April 3, 2018

On Tuesday, March 6th and Wednesday, March 7th, close to 250 front-line workers from 40 agencies in Toronto’s Violence Against Women (VAW) sector attended the 2018 Supporting Survivors by Supporting Staff (SSxSS) Training […]

News

In support of Bill 157, Domestic and Sexual Violence Protection Act, 2017

September 29, 2017

WomanACT joined a press conference on Thursday September 28th in support of Bill 157, an Act to increase workplace protection for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. London West MPP […]

News

New project underway to to tackle policy barriers faced by survivors

September 12, 2017

We are excited to announce a new project which will be undertaking intersectional gender-based analysis of public policies to better understand their impacts on survivors and advocate for policy change. […]

News

Why do caregivers need care?

March 30, 2017

As part of their annual End Violence Against Women Week, the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto hosted over 250 participants per day for a week of education, training and discussions […]

Opinion

Supporting workplace domestic and sexual violence policy and supports

October 20, 2016

We are happy to support Bill 26 (formerly known as Bill 177), The Domestic and Sexual Violence Workplace Leave and Training Accommodation Act. Bill 26 recognizes the critical intersections between […]

News

A step forward to raise concerns about repealing Ontario’s sexual health and education curriculum

At WomanACT, we are very concerned by the recent announcement by the Ontario Ministry of Education to repeal Ontario’s sexual health education curriculum in September. As an organization committed to women’s […]

News

Sexual violence across Canadian campuses

Incoming university and college students across Canada are excited to begin a new chapter. Many parents will lecture their children on maintaining healthy study habits, keeping their dorm rooms clean […]

News