B.C. is getting $18-million dollars as part of the Canada-British Columbia bilateral agreement to end gender-based violence.

It comes from the federal government to support survivors and break the cycle of violence through B.C.’s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan.

It’s focused on boosting services and supports for survivors, strengthening government’s response to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and ramping up prevention and awareness campaigns.

In addition, B.C. is increasing access to safe housing for women fleeing violence, expanding rural cellphone service to make travel safer, and investing in training and affordable child care to boost economic independence, as well as other key initiatives to support survivors and help address gender-based violence.

The new federal funding will continue to boost community resources and support Indigenous-led initiatives that prevent and respond to gender-based violence.

Federal funds have been used to expand programs, such as:

• the Violence is Preventable program that brings counsellors to schools to deliver presentations about intimate-partner violence and connects to counsellors any K-12 students experiencing or witnessing violence
• provide further support for domestic-violence units, which are specialized teams of community-based victim services workers
• support survivors of human trafficking and exploitation

In addition, funds have been allocated to Indigenous-led initiatives that address and prevent violence, while centering on Indigenous strengths and knowledge, including in rural and remote regions of the province.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.