It’s time for Ontario to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic

By Luke's Place | April 4, 2024

The first of 86 recommendations from the 2022 inquest into the murders of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk, and Nathalie Warmerdam was for Ontario to formally declare intimate partner violence (IPV) an epidemic. Since the recommendations were released, 94 of 444 Ontario municipalities have taken up this recommendation and declared IPV an epidemic. It is now time for the province to finally do the same.

As we have previously said on our blog, declaring IPV an epidemic would cost nothing, yet have a huge impact. It takes the violence outside of the shadows and makes it clear that IPV in Ontario is a public health crisis and public policy issue. The declaration would also serve as validation for anyone who has survived IPV or who is living with IPV now, that what has happened to them or is happening to them is real and it’s wrong.

Ontario MPPs, Lisa Gretzky, Kristyn Wong-Tam, Jill Andrew, and Peggy Sattler are co-sponsoring Bill 173 which would enact the Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act, 2024. This Act would require the Ontario Government to recognize IPV as a provincial epidemic. First Reading of this Bill was completed on March 7, 2024, and the Bill was ordered for Second Reading.

MPPs Gretzky, Wong-Tam, Andrew, and Sattler are calling on supporters of the Bill to attend as the Ontario legislature continues debate on Wednesday, April 10 at 6pm at Queen’s Park (110 Wellesley St. W., Toronto, ON). The MPPs are hosting a reception in advance and are asking all of those who plan to attend both the reception and debate to formally RSVP to MPP Gretzky by April 8 at 4pm. We urge you to attend and show your support for this important Bill.

If you or your organization is interested in engaging in advocacy when it comes to the implementation of the CKW inquest recommendations, including this one, please check out our advocacy toolkit, which includes template letters, social media tips, and other practical strategies and tools to help you in your advocacy work.