Written Submission for the Pre- Budget Consultations in Advance of the Upcoming 2025 Federal Budget

Recommendation 3: A commitment to establish and fund a GBV Commissioner to act as an accountability mechanism to monitor and report on the implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence and the Federal GBV Strategy. [...] Recommendation 4: An initial investment of $1 million for WAGE and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to launch consultations on the development of a National Strategy for the Gender-Based Violence Workforce that addresses issues of precarious work; access to decent salaries, pensions, benefits, and supports for workers; and retention and recruitment issues. [...] Justification for Recommendations Recommendation 1: Need for Renewal of the Women and Children’s Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative Across the country, VAW shelters are turning away almost 1,000 women and children every night due to lack of space.1 Of all the programs under the National Housing Strategy (NHS), the Women and Children Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative (WCSTHI) was. [...] For these reasons, we strongly recommend that the WCSTHI be an integral part of the NHS and that funding in the order of $325 million be allocated in the 2025 budget towards the initiative. [...] (b) The federal government develop the mandate for the gender-based violence commissioner in consultation with provincial and territorial governments, women survivors including women from marginalized and precarious communities, and the gender-based violence advocacy and support sector.6 To fulfill the MCC recommendation, the government should commit to establishing and funding a GBV Commissioner.