November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls.
It is a day that calls for urgent action. Instead, the Government of Ontario is spending millions
on studying how to build a tunnel under the 401.

We need more than tunnel vision. The reality is appalling: 44% of Canadian women will
experience some form of intimate partner violence (IPV) over their lifetime. The rates are
staggeringly higher for 2SLGBTQ+ women (67%), Indigenous women (61%), women living in
poverty (57%), and women with disabilities (55%).1

And the risk is growing. While the causes of gender-based violence (GBV) are complex, we know
that women’s economic security and safety are deeply connected. Research shows that
domestic violence often increases during economic downturns. Economic insecurity
marginalizes women, putting them at greater risk of violence. Financial dependency creates a
major barrier to leaving abusive relationships, especially as chronic underinvestment in shelter
services, affordable child care and other essential supports leaves women with nowhere to turn.
The Conservative government’s neglect and ongoing cuts to social services and social
assistance rates have left families with few options. The deep gender pay gap, particularly for
women working in these front-line care services, persists. A growing jobs crisis and a growing
made-in-Ontario care sector crisis means access to supports will get worse. With over 700,000
Ontarians out of work and the full effects of U.S. tariffs still to come, there is no time to waste.