Joint Statement on WAGE’s Budget

Dear Prime Minister: Gender Equality is not Optional

Ottawa, ON – Globally, women’s rights and gender equality are under attack from regressive movements and governments alike. Here in Canada, for the first time since the Harper era, we are facing an unprecedented and catastrophic rollback of support for these hard-won and fundamental freedoms.

As organizations dedicated to advancing gender equality in Canada, we are alarmed that the Department for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) is facing budget cuts of 80% in their recently released departmental plan. This massive budget reduction would effectively gut the entire department responsible for women’s rights and gender equality in this country. It will be impossible for WAGE to fulfill its mandate under these circumstances. And while these are devastating cuts to WAGE, the funds freed up to invest elsewhere are a mere drop in the bucket of the overall federal budget.

We celebrated when the WAGE Minister position was reinstated to cabinet, yet once again, federal government action is raising serious concerns about whether they value equality, human rights, and the significant contributions of women, trans, Two-Spirit, non-binary people to the economy and the country. The government appears comfortable abandoning equality and marginalized people. With these cuts, women and gender-diverse people are taking a disproportionate hit of the austerity measures and the fiscal tightening. The Prime Minister has asked departments to find 15% in cuts by 2028-29, yet 80% of WAGE’s budget is on the chopping block. Where is the gender-based analysis?

An 80% budget reduction is not routine budget tightening. This is a decimation of life-saving and life-changing programs, advancing gender-based analysis, and promoting systemic change for women’s rights and gender equality. With these drastic cuts, the department will, in effect, only exist as a shell. Impacts will be felt far beyond the department. The proposed cuts will severely undermine national and local feminist organizations, shelters, sexual assault services, and victim services.

This effectively dismantles the 2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat, eliminates access to government programs, and strips back decades of GBA Plus work, gender budgeting be damned. It creates enormous uncertainty about the funding of the National Action Plan on Gender-based Violence and the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan. This could potentially result in massive unemployment in the sector. These are not abstract numbers, they are lives and futures being placed in peril.

The cuts show a lack of vision and understanding of the importance of an inclusive and fair economy that can stand the test of time. Investing in physical infrastructure, at the expense of social infrastructure, ignores that our current economy hinges on the high participation of women in the workforce, including many women in caregiving — labour we are all dependent on. If the government’s aim is truly nation-building — defending our communities, growing our economy, and strengthening Canadian unity — then cutting the backbone for women’s rights and gender justice is not just risky, it is counterproductive.

Fiscal responsibility and nation-building are not opposites. We fully understand fiscal responsibility and recognize its importance. Our sector is well-versed in doing a lot with a little — often because we do the work that no one else will, and increasingly, because we have no choice. Chronic underfunding has left us with little support, forcing us to creatively stretch every resource to its limit just to meet the bare minimum of what our communities need and deserve.

WAGE-supported organizations do the painstaking work of advancing intersectional women’s rights and gender equality, reconciliation, anti-racism, disability justice, youth development, and anti-violence with limited resources — stepping up where government and others cannot, finding innovative solutions and effective ways to move forward. These proposed cuts to WAGE, one of the government’s smallest departments, demonstrate a lack of investment in programs that yield enormous returns. These are not “nice to have” — they prevent larger downstream costs to all taxpayers.

These proposed cuts must be walked back. The fall budget and beyond should include a continued commitment in line with the election promises that brought this government into power and at the scale that this historic moment requires.

We call for an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Carney and his office to hear from us why meeting today’s momentous challenges requires including women and gender-diverse people, and expanding — not abandoning — gender equality.

Gender equality isn’t optional for Canada to meet current challenges — it’s key.

Signed,

Aboriginal Front Door Society
Aboriginal Mothers Centre Society – AMCS
Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC)
Accès conditions vie Lac-Saint-Jean-Est
Accès transports viables
AccessBC Campaign
AccessNow Nova Scotia
Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes
Afeas
AFEAS
AFEAS St-David de Falardeau
afeas st-jean-eudes
AFÉAS St-Méthode
Agricultrice du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Agricultrice Saguenay -St-Jean
Agricultrices Montérégie Ouest
Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters
Alliance Against Violence & Adversity
Alliance des maisons d’hébergement de 2e étape pour femmes et enfants victimes de violence conjugale
Alternatives for Women
Anglicans Powering Potential
Anova: A Future Without Violence
APTS-Chaudière-Appalaches
Archway Society For Domestic Peace
Armagh
Assaulted Women’s Helpline
Association féministe d’éducation et d’action sociale (Afeas)
Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services
Association Québécoise Plaidoyer Victimes
Auberge de l’Amitié Roberval inc.
Aura Freedom International
Autour d’elles , maison d’aide et d’hébergement
Avalon Sexual Assault Centre
AWC – Alchemy Wellness co.
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
Battlefords & Area Sexual Assault Centre
BC Federation of Labour
BC Poverty Reduction Coalition
BC Society of Transition Houses (BCSTH)
BC Teachers’ Federation
Be the Peace Institute
Bernadette McCann House
Black Women Business Network
Brave Beginnings
Bureau de consultation jeunesse
BWSS Battered Women’s Support Services Association
CAIBF ICI-FEMMES
CALACS Agression Estrie
CALACS de Charlevoix
CALACS de Charlevoix
Calacs du Saguenay
CALACS L’Ancrage
CALACS la Chrysalide
CALACS Lueur d’espoir
CALACS the north star
Camrose Women’s Shelter Society
Canadian Anti-Stalking Association
Canadian Association for Girls in Science (CAGIS)
Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS)
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)
Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment
Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW)
Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW)
Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability
Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA)
Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women
Canadian Sexual Understanding and Education for Digital Equity (SUEDE) Society
Canadian Sexual Understanding and Education for Digital Equity (SUEDE) Society
Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce
Canadian Women’s Foundation
Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society
Central Okanagan Emergency Shelter Society (Kelowna Women’s Shelter)
Centre Au Cœur des Femmes
Centre de femmes Entre Ailes
Centre de femmes l’Éclaircie
Centre de femmes l’Érige
Centre de femmes l’Essentielle
Centre de femmes La Source
Centre de femmes les Unes et les Autres
Centre de Solidarité Lesbienne
Centre des femmes d’ici et d’ailleurs
Centre des femmes de la Basse-Ville
Centre des femmes Le point d’ancrage
Centre Entre-Femmes
Centre Femmes aux 4 Vents
Centre Femmes d’aujourd’hui
Centre femmes de La Mitis
Centre Femmes de Portneuf
Centre Femmes la Rose des Vents
Centre for Family Equity (FCE)
Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health
Centre pour femmes Ellecvive
Centre ressources pour femmes de Beauport
Centre Victoria pour femmes
Centre-Femmes aux Plurielles
Centre-Femmes La Passerelle
CHADWIC Home
Chaire Claire-Bonenfant-Femmes, Savoirs et Sociétés
Charles Darwin University
Child Care Now
Chronically Queer
CIAFT (Conseil d’intervention pour l’accès des femmes au travail)
Circling Buffalo Inc.
Citadelle de Lachute
City for All Women Initiative (CAWI)
Clinical Fraternity
Clinique SPOT
Co-Savoir
Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC
Coalition of Regional Sexual Assault Centres (Saskatchewan) (CRSAC)
Coalition pour l’équité salariale du Nouveau-Brunswick
Connexion Emploi ressources femmes
Connexion Emploi ressources femmes
Conseil des Montréalaises
Consent Collective
Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre
Counselling and Family Service Ottawa
Courage in Action
Cumberland County Transition House Association
Dawson Shelter Society
Disability Justice Network of British Columbia (DJNBC)
Disability Justice Network of Ontario (DJNO)
DisAbled Women’s Network Canada (DAWN Canada)
Domesitc Violence Association of New Brunswick
Domestic Abuse Services Oxford
Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre
Egale Canada
Elizabeth Fry New Brunswick
Elizabeth Fry Society of Cape Breton
Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver
Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia
Elizabeth Fry Society of Northeastern Ontario
Elizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario
Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough
Elizabeth Fry Society of Quebec
Elizabeth Fry Society Simcoe Muskoka
Empowerment For Hope Society
End FGM Canada Network
End Sexual Violence NL
Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada (ESVA Canada)
Ending Violence Association of BC
Espace Mélilot
ESPACE region de Quebec
Family Dynamix Association
Family Service Saskatoon, Inc.
Family Transition Place
Fédération des maisons d’hébergement pour femmes
Federation du Quebec pour le planning des naissances
Federation of Medical Women in Canada
Federation of Medical Women of Canada – Manitoba Branch
Feminist Coalition to End Violence Against Women (CFVF)
Femmes en mouvement
Femmes-Action: séparation-divorce
Fierté Timmins Pride
Filipino BC
Fireweed Collective Society
Forestville’s women center
Fort Nelson Aboriginal Friendship Society
Gateway Women’s Centre
Gender & Women Studies Program Committee, University of New Brunswick
Genesis House
Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women Canada
Global Women in STEM
Good Shepherd Centres Hamilton
GOOD TO BE GOOD
Groupe Femmes, Politique et Démocratie
Haida Gwaii Society for Community Peace
Halte-Femmes Montréal-Nord
Havre L’Éclairicie
Heartwood Healing Centre
Hiatus House
Highwire Collective
HIV Legal Network
Horizon pour Elle
Huronia Transition Homes
Ingamo Family Homes
Inter-Elles
Interior Women’s Centre Society
International Women’s Rights Project
Interval House of Ottawa
Jean Tweed Centre
Journey Project on behalf of Public Legal Information Association of NL
Kamloops and District Elizabeth Fry Society
Kaslo Community Services
Kelowna Women’s Shelter
Kootenai Community Centre Society
Ksan House Society
KV Domestic Violence Outreach Inc.
L.A.S.T.U.S.E. of Saguenay
L’Autonomie en soiE Women Centre
L’Autre-Toit du KRTB
L’Écho des femmes de la Petite Patrie
L’R des centres de femmes du Québec
La Bouée Régionale
La Clé sur la Porte Inc.
La Maison d’aide et d’hébergement l’Accalmie
La Maison de Marthe
La Maison La Montée
La Maison La Nacelle
La Maison Mikana
La Marie Debout women’s education center
La Méridienne 1990
La Re-Source Women’s Shelter
La Véranda, Centre-Femmes
Labrador West Status of Women Council
Ladies in the Family Foundation (LIFF)
Latraverse
Laval University
Les Essentielles
Lina’s Home
Live Educate Transform Society
Luke’s Place
Maison d’accueil et d’hébergement La Chambrée
Maison d’accueil La Traverse
Maison d’hébergement Alternative pour Elles
Maison d’hébergement l’Émeraude
Maison D’Hébergement Pour Elles Des Deux Vallées
Maison des femmes de Baie-Comeau
Maison des femmes de Québec
Maison Hina
MAISON INTERLUDE HOUSE
Maison l’Amie d’Elle Inc.
Maison l’Esther
Maison L’Esther
Maison Marie-Rollet
Maison Unies-Vers-Femmes
Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters Inc. (MAWS)
Maskan Family Association
Men Are Part of the Solution,(M.A.P.S.)
Minerva BC
Mokami Status of Women Council
Monthly Dignity
Moose Jaw Family Services Inc.
Mount Royal University
Mountain Rose Women’s Shelter Association
Multi-Femmes
Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research
Muskoka Parry Sound Sexual Assault Services
Naomi Society
National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL)
National Forum For Human Rights
National Right to Housing Network
National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE)
Nelson Community Services
Network to Eliminate Violence in Relationships (NEVR)
New Starts for Women Inc
North East Outreach and Support Services
Northern Feminist Institute for Research & Evaluation (Northern FIRE)
Northern Society for Domestic Peace
NOW Canada
Ontario Association of Interval & Transition Houses
Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants
Options for Sexual Health
Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women (OCTEVAW)
Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre (ORCC)
Ottawa Victim Services
Our Community Bikes
Pacific Immigrant Resources Society
Pacific Immigrant Resources Society (PIRS)
Parkland Crisis Centre & Women’s Shelter
Partance, centre d’emploi pour femmes
Passe-R-Elle des Hautes-Laurentides
Pathways to Leadership with Racialized Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Society
Pavilion Women’s Centre
Peace River Regional Women’s Shelter
PearlSpace Support Services Society
Peel Poverty Action Group
PEERS Alliance
PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women
PEI Rape and Sexual Assault Centre
Perinatal Referral Service for Immigrant Women of Québec
Phoenix Arise Foundation
Phoenix Transition Society
PolyRemembers
Popular eudcationnal Center of Pointe-St-Charles
Powell River & Region Transition House Society
Prairie Harbour Inc
PREVNet
Projet LUNE
Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS)
Puakuteu – Women Committee of Mashteuiatshh
qathet SAFE
Quartier des Femmes
Queer Momentum
Quesnel Women’s Resource Centre
Quesnel Women’s Resource Centre
Real People Collaboration
RECIF 02
RECIF 02
Red Door Family shelter
Regina Transition House
Regroupement des Femmes de la Côte-de-Gaspé
Regroupement des groupes de femmes de la région de la Capitale-Nationale
Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale
Regroupement des organismes ESPACE du Québec (ROEQ)
Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick
Regroupement québécois des CALACS
Renfrew County Sexual Assault and Rape Crisis Support Centre
Réseau d’action des femmes en santé et services sociaux (RAFSSS)
Réseau des groupes de femmes Chaudière-Appalaches
Réseau des Tables régionales de groupes de femmes du Québec
Réseau québécois d’action pour la santé des femmes (RQASF)
RESOLVE
RESOLVE Manitoba
REVIVE
Rise Women’s Legal Centre
Rowan House Society
S.O.S. Grossesse
Sage Haven Society
Saguenay Women’s Center
Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre
Saskatchewan Federation of Labour
Saskatoon Interval House Inc.
Saskatoon Sexual Assault & Information Centre
School of Nursing, McMaster University
Sexplique
Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton and Area) – SACHA
Sexual Assault Centre Kingston
Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan
Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region
Sexual Violence New Brunswick
Shamanic Grandmothers of Nova Scotia
She Said
Sher Vancouver
Sisters Dialogue
SOFIA House
South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO)
South Okanagan Women In Need Society
South Peace Community Resources Society
SPSCN-FIQ
Starlings Community INC
Status of Women Central
Sunshine Coast Community Services Society
Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research (SOAR)
Surrey Pride Society
Survivors Hope Crisis Centre
SWAN Vancouver
Taber Safe Haven Women’s Shelter Society
Table de concertation des groupes de femmes de la Montérégie
Table de concertation du mouvement des femmes Centre-du-Québec
Table de concertation du mouvement des femmes de la Mauricie (TCMFM)
Table des groupes de femmes de Montréal
Tamitik Status of Women Association
Terra Centre
The Campbell River & NI Transition Society
The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking
The Cridge Transition House for Women
The Denise House
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan
The Empathy Agency Inc.

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada (IATSE)
The National Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Strategy for Agencies Serving Immigrants
The People’s Pantry
The Period Purse
The Today Family Violence Help Centre
the Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre
The Whole Shebang: Sexual Health Education
The Whole Shebang: Sexual Health Education
The Women’s Centre Grey Bruce
Three Oaks Foundation
Timmins and Area Women in Crisis
TransEstrie
Transition House Association of Nova Scotia (THANS)
Tri-City Transitions Society
True North Society – Strathmore
Unifor
University of Calgary
University of Manitoba
University of Northern British Columbia
University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union
UpRising Philanthropic Consulting
USSU Women’s Centre
Vancouver and Lower Mainland Multicultural Family Support Services Society
Viol-Secours
Violence Info
Voice of Suvivors
We’re Here For You Canada
Wellness Within
West Coast LEAF
West Island women’s Shelter
Westcoast Community Resources Society
Western Canada Women’s Foundation
White Ribbon
Whitehorse Aboriginal Women’s Circle
Willow Place
Wilmas Transition Society
WILPF – Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Women & Children’s Shelter Barrie
Women Center l’Ancrage
Women Farmers of Quebec
Women Farmers of Quebec
Women in Music Professional Association of Canada (Women in Music Canada)
Women Quebec Federation
Women Transforming Cities
Women’s Center RDP
Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke
Women’s Legal and Education Action Fund (LEAF)
Women’s National Housing & Homelessness Network
Women’s Network PEI
Women’s Resources in the Acton Region
Women’s Shelters Canada
Women’s Studies Online
Women’s Support Network of York Region
WomenatthecentrE (Women’s Centre for Social Justice)
Womens center of Laval
WPSO -Canada
YEG Built For Life Foundation
YMCA BC
Yukon Status of Women Council
Yukon Women in Trades and Technology
Yukon Women’s Coalition
YWCA Calgary
YWCA Cambridge
YWCA Canada
YWCA Halifax
YWCA Hamilton
YWCA Kitchener Waterloo
YWCA Metro Vancouver
YWCA Moncton
YWCA Niagara Region
YWCA NWT
YWCA Peterborough Haliburton
YWCA Quebec
YWCA Regina Inc
YWCA Saskatoon
YWCA St. John’s
YWCA Toronto
YWCA Westman