SASC’s Response to WAGE Funding and Federal Budget

Last month, we joined survivor-support organizations across the country in raising concerns about the federal government’s proposed cuts to Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) Canada. We warned that these reductions would have profound impacts on front-line services and would effectively dismantle the federal department responsible for advancing women’s rights and gender equality in this country.

Our Executive Director shared this message publicly in an opinion piece in the Waterloo Region Record, noting that cuts to WAGE move us closer to trends unfolding south of the border:
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“When Canadians recoil at what we see unfolding in the U.S., where funding for survivors is being slashed, reproductive rights are being stripped away, and diversity programs are being rolled back, it’s because we know we can do better. We believe in systems rooted in care and compassion, not competition and cruelty. Yet every time we chip away at the resources that uphold those systems, we move one step closer to the very landscape we claim to reject.”

On October 29th, the federal government announced renewed funding for WAGE.
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We are heartened to see commitments to addressing gender-based violence, advancing women’s economic security, and supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and encouraged by the multi-year funding outlined in Budget 2025. Predictable and stable funding is vital for women’s organizations to continue advancing safety, dignity, and equality, especially in a time of economic strain and rising regressive movements across North America.

However, we remain concerned that the overall funding announcement represents a decrease from current annual WAGE spending. In a context of increasing demand, reduced investment risks further burdening front-line organizations and leaving survivors without the support they need and deserve.

We know that gender-based violence does not occur in isolation. It is deeply connected to whether women and gender-diverse people have access to safe housing, income security, childcare, education, and decent work. When funding for gender equality is reduced, it weakens the systems that prevent violence and support survivors in rebuilding their lives.

We also know that austerity does not impact all communities equally. Indigenous, Black, racialized, newcomer, disabled, and 2SLGBTQIA+ survivors already face disproportionate rates of violence, systemic discrimination, and barriers to care. Cuts to equality and anti-violence funding undermine the culturally grounded, community-led organizations best positioned to provide safety, advocacy, and healing in the face of these inequities.
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We call on the federal government to deepen its commitment to organizations serving women, survivors, and gender-diverse people - especially those serving communities most targeted by violence and systemic marginalization. Our communities thrive when care, safety, and equality are not optional, but foundational.