Sheila Bautz, Special to the Herald
Saskatchewan has the highest rates of violence against women in the country. Four new, unique initiatives are in motion to surface and address the undercurrent of gender-based violence in Saskatchewan. The federal government’s National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence continues to be a priority for the Government of Saskatchewan. There is an additional new provincial investment of $640,000 added to the national awareness campaign seeking solutions.
“We are proud to empower and support community-based organizations across the province as they create programs, provide services and research new practices to build safe communities,” said Tim McLeod, the Saskatchewan Minister of Justice and Attorney General. “This increased investment will strengthen outreach and provide families with the tools they need to build a successful path forward.”
With Saskatchewan having the highest rates of domestic violence, also known as interpersonal violence, statistics reveal part of the issue. According to the Saskatchewan RCMP statistics, the rates of intimate partner violence are approximately 813 per 100,000 of reported cases. The RCMP also report that family violence rates were 890 cases per 100,000 population in 2023. These statistics result from reported cases, and do not include unreported cases and cases that are ignored and not documented.
The National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is a ten-year collaborative framework across Canada that targets the end of gender-based violence with a national approach. The Government of Canada has disbursed $20.3 million over a four-year timeline to the province of Saskatchewan. The fresh funds are an addition to the existing $3.8 million that is being allocated to 16 agencies across the province of Saskatchewan, which was announced earlier this year.
“Saskatchewan’s implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is focused on prevention, this includes expanding awareness and education, increasing Indigenous-led approaches and support for survivors,” said Alana Ross, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. “This additional funding will help these community-based organizations continue to deliver service and supports that will build a safer Saskatchewan, free of interpersonal violence and abuse.”
The funding is intended to implement new initiatives through various forms of knowledge base and expertise to identify and create opportunities for action. It provides community-based organizations and agencies the power to develop new initiatives while the provincial government pledges their support to ending gender-based violence. There are specific programs and agencies the government has committed funding to.
ChangeMakers, Building Active Bystanders Training Program, is receiving $313,960. The financial support for their initiative is aimed at developing a Building Active Bystanders program. The program will educate people about effective and safe ways to intervene in Interpersonal violence situations and report the incidents.
The Indigenous Led Approaches to Addressing Gender-based Violence initiative is receiving a total of $120,000. The finances will be distributed to three agencies that will enhance support for Indigenous approaches to gender-based violence.
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is receiving $40,000. The Saskatchewan First Nations Women’s Commission is involved with this initiative as a guide for the FSIN Women’s Secretariat to develop a strategy for addressing gender-based violence in Urban and Rural First Nation communities.
The YWCA in Regina and Saskatoon will each receive $40,000 for a total of $80,000. The funding for the YWCA in Regina will support the Bridging Culture and Care project with an Elder in Residence and traditional healing sessions with All Nations Hope Network. The funding for the YWCA in Saskatoon is leading an initiative to train staff on culture appropriate services. The Saskatoon branch of the YWCA is also utilizing the much-needed financial allocation to furnish and decorate new transitional housing in a culturally appropriate way for Indigenous clients.
“Funding through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is crucial to the YWCA’s ability to ensure that women and children experiencing violence have access to culturally appropriate healing and can make lifelong connections with Indigenous community and support,” said Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen, Chief Executive Officer at the Regina YWCA. “This impact ensures sustainable support as women navigate their healing journey.”
The Ministry of Justice and Attorney General and the Ministry of Social Services will provide funding to the Qatalyst Group in the amount of $110,566 to evaluate the Safe and Together Model Evaluation program. The program reportedly works to improve collaboration among service providers to address the actions and behaviours of perpetrators of violence.
One hundred thousand dollars is designated to the Maddison Sessions Conference Buckspring Foundation. The Maddison Sessions Conference was hosted in Saskatoon in April of 2025. The event receiving the $100,000 had provided collaborations amongst advocates, other strong networking opportunities and promoted an exchange of ideas amongst professionals involved in gender-based violence, such as law enforcement and lawyers.
“Local, community-based solutions are how we move forward – and that is exactly what this investment supports,” said Rechie Valdez, the Federal Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State. “Through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, the Government of Canada is working alongside organizations in Saskatchewan to help build programs that reflect people’s lived experiences, meet survivors where they are, and create safer communities for women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people across the province.”
To date, women who experience interpersonal violence are celebrating the progress that is being made on the federal and provincial levels of government. However, many survivors and victims experiencing violence daily are also watching and waiting to see where the federal government’s National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence funds will be distributed to address the systemic issues in provincial jurisdictions.
Provincial jurisdictions involve professionals within social services and law who are meant to ensure that the protection of victims and their Constitutional and legal rights are exercised within the existing programs and amended family laws. Many of the laws that exist with the intent to ensure the protection and legal rights of victims of domestic violence are in place, on paper, and passed in the Legislative. As a result, addressing cultural influences within existing professional areas perhaps may be the next area the provincial government allocates important funding in this initiative.
This year, the Government of Saskatchewan is dedicated to providing approximately $32 million to partners that facilitate interpersonal violence programs and services throughout the justice system. Through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, the annualized funding is designated for second-stage shelters, funding for Victims Services and other important supports.
