Minister Fir outlines strategy to end gender-based violence

Posted on June 12, 2025 by Sunny South News

By Heather Cameron
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On May 20, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women Tanya Fir held a virtual rural media roundtable on Alberta’s 10-year Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence.

“Gender-based violence remains the most under-reported type of crime,” said Minister Fir. “Only about one in 20 serious sexual assaults are reported to, and for intimate partner violence, it’s just one in five cases. That means thousands of Albertans, mostly women, may be living in fear or unsafe situations, afraid to speak up, and unsure where to get help, and feeling alone. We know that gender-based violence affects everyone in every corner of our province, including our rural and remote communities. In rural areas, isolation can make it even harder to escape. And when there’s no public transit and the nearest shelter is often hours away, options become even more limited, and the risks increase.”

With that said, Minister Fir established that the Government of Alberta is ‘taking strong coordinated action’ with the launch of a strategy to end gender-based violence. 

Minister Fir described the strategy as ‘the most comprehensive of its kind in all of Canada’ that solidifies a commitment to tackle the very-real issue.

This strategy, Minister Fir explained, was informed by Albertans from all corners of the province, including survivors, community organizations working on the frontlines, Indigenous leaders and academics. In total, Minister Fir explained the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women heard from more than 500 individuals and organizations and held almost 70 meetings and engagement sessions in 11 communities during the process in which the strategy was constructed.

“We heard from people who could not get to a shelter, people who worried about others and their communities, finding out people who felt they had nowhere to go,” said Minister Fir. “We listened, and what we heard helped shape and inform the actions. In this plan, with the many contributions of our community members and partners, we developed a plan with over a hundred actions to protect Albertans. We know that no strategy succeeds unless it reflects real people, and real communities.”

The Government of Alberta, Minister Fir explained, is working across ministries and is already investing over $188 million every year to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. That work and the strategy, Minister Fir explained, is grounded in five strategic priorities.

The priorities, Minister Fir explained, involve the critical step of raising awareness about gender-based violence in a meaningful and impactful way so Albertans can recognize and respond if they see it happen or experience it. A second priority, Minister Fir stated, is tackling the underlying causes of gender-based violence to intervene earlier and hopefully prevent the violence before it begins. Thirdly, Minister Fir stated, the Government of Alberta is supporting Indigenous-led solutions by integrating the Indigenous ways of knowing and being into their strategy. Fourth, Minister Fir stated, the government is empowering women to be economically independent because financial abuse portion and control are key factors that can force women to unfortunately have to return to unsafe situations. And fifth, Minister Fir explained, the government is strengthening support for survivors’ families and those at risk, including perpetrators and potential perpetrators to receive the help they need when and where they need it.

In addition to those priorities, Minister Fir stated, the strategy includes ‘targeted actions’ for rural communities.

“We recognize there are unique set of challenges faced by rural communities in Alberta, and that is why the strategy includes targeted actions for these communities,” said Minister Fir. “We’re continuing to invest in our Rural Sexual Assault Support Program, which is increasing access to comprehensive sexual assault care in rural and remote communities by providing training and resources for medical professionals and to improve access to opportunities and information. We also launched our Women’s Hub Resource Directory that connects women with supports and resources online or in person. We’re working to expand Early Intervention, Crisis Response and recovery services in all regions of the province. And we’re also developing a province wide public awareness campaign to help Albertans understand what gender-based violence is, including overlooked forms like cyber abuse and coercive of control. This campaign will speak directly to all Albertans, including men and boys, because ending violence is a responsibility that we all share the strategies about equipping, equipping all of Alberta’s communities with the right tools, whether it is training for frontline workers, sustainable funding for local organizations, or clearing safe pathways to support survivors. Because at the end of the day, we know everyone deserves to feel safe in their home, in their relationships, and in their communities.”