Burlington City Council Declares Intimate Partner Violence & Violence Against Women an Epidemic

Today, Burlington City Council unanimously passed a resolution declaring Intimate Partner Violence and Violence Against Woman as an epidemic.We heard astonishing and horrifying statistics from Halton Regional Police Service and Halton Women's Place, and from members of our community who shared stories of individuals facing this epidemic and how the system failed them. These cases are often hidden, occurring behind closed doors, and that makes it all the more horrifying. Halton Police noted they receive about 10 calls a day responding to incidences of intimate partner violence -- and that is just what is reported.We need to do better. The resolution Councillor Rory Nisan and I brought forward at Council is but one step, and I'm grateful to my Council colleagues for their unanimous support of it. I also thank everyone who came to delegate at Council today and shared their personal stories and experiences, as well as the first responders who respond to these calls every day.We stand with the women and children experiencing this and stand ready to act.Please see below the full resolution, we unanimously approved at Council. We will also be sending a letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford requesting the Province join the countless municipalities who have declared Intimate Partner Violence and Violence Against Woman as a crisis in our communities.RESOLUTION:

Whereas the jury that adjudicated the Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam Inquest (The Renfrew Inquest) issued 86 recommendations to the Province of Ontario on Intimate Partner Violence; andWhereas recommendation #1 of the Inquest is for the Province of Ontario to declare Intimate Partner Violence an epidemic; andWhereas, every six days in Canada a woman is killed by her intimate partner; andWhereas, on any given night in Canada, over 6,000 women and children sleep in shelters because it is not safe for them at home; andWhereas this past year in Ontario, 52 women or one every week, were victims of femicide; andWhereas in Halton in 2022 there were 3,503 Intimate Partner Violence calls made to Halton Regional Police and there were 2,342 calls to the Women’s Shelter Crisis/Helpline calls; andWhereas Halton Women’s Place receives 2,500 calls annually to its crisis information and support line, supports 400-600 women through their various outreach services and sees 140 women and children through their safe shelter every year; andWhereas 93% of the CAS domestic violence-related intake cases involve a girl/woman as the primary participant; andWhereas the waitlist for counselling can be difficult to access; and Domestic Abuse Crisis in Burlington; andWhereas violence against women costs the national justice system, health care systems, social service agencies, and municipalities billions of dollars per year; and municipalities are on the front lines in addressing gender-based violence; andWhereas Burlington City Council recognizes that issues of violence against women in all communities are of local importance to the health and wellness of our residents;Therefore, be it resolved that Burlington City Council

• recognizes the issues of violence against women and girls in Halton as serious to the health and wellness of local families; and
• is committed to engaging with community partners to educate and support our residents about the seriousness and long-term danger of violence in our community; and

That Burlington City Council declares, in accordance with Recommendation #1 of the Renfrew Inquest, that Intimate Partner Violence and Violence Against Women are epidemic; andBe it further resolved that this resolution be circulated to The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, The Honourable. Charmaine A. Williams, Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity, The Honourable Parm Gill Minister of Red Tape Reduction, Natalie Pierre, MPP Burlington, Effie Triantafilopoulos, MPP Oakville North-Burlington, Halton Region, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and the Ontario’s Big City Mayors; andRequest the City Manager's Office in the City of Burlington review the Renfrew Recommendations and develop a workplan with the Halton Violence Prevention Council (HVPC) on how the City of Burlington can advance the objective of ending intimate partner violence; andSend a letter to the Office of the Premier of Ontario, the Honourable Doug Ford, requesting the Province of Ontario declare intimate partner violence and violence against women as a crisis.RELATED LINK:

• Halton Region Joins Municipalities Declaring Intimate Partner Violence & Violence Against Women an Epidemic