The Woman Abuse Council of Toronto was created in 1991 under the name Metro Woman Abuse Protocol Project by the office of the Chairman of Metropolitan Toronto. For the first eight years, the organization operated as a community-based coalition under the trusteeship of Jewish Family and Children’s Services. In 1999, the name was changed to the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto and the council was incorporated as an independent non-profit organization.
In January 2010, the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto adopted a second official name: WomanACT, and was granted charitable status.