Making Cities that Work for Everyone  

How can decision makers create cities that are safe, innovative and prosperous? By challenging assumptions and incorporating diverse perspectives that serve entire communities.  

As a service provider, the YWCA sees first-hand the devastating impacts of social inequity in communities across Metro Vancouver.  

Many YWCA participants have faced marginalization, systemic oppression and violence while living at the intersection of identities, including women, Indigenous and racialized individuals, people with disabilities, 2LSGBTQIA+ communities, youth and newcomers.  

Despite the valuable insight that we all hold, not everyone has had an equal voice in how we build and grow cities.  

That’s why over the past three years, YWCA City Shift has partnered with local governments across Metro Vancouver and beyond to prioritize equity in decision-making, programming and policy development. With the continued support of Women and Gender Equality Canada, we are excited to further assist municipalities in embedding equity into city planning and enhancing their engagement with underrepresented groups. 

Union of BC Municipalities Convention 2024  

From September 16-20, we had the pleasure of attending the Union of BC Municipalities. We kicked off the event by co-hosting the Community Voices Reception in collaboration with Climate Caucus, CityHive, Centre for Civic Governance and Women Transforming Cities.  

The reception provided a valuable opportunity for networking and knowledge sharing among municipal officials, community advocates and urban planners.  

Additionally, the City Shift team had the opportunity to participate in several sessions during the convention, fostering relationships and advancing the YWCA’s advocacy priorities.  

Peer-Centered Advocacy Group  

Driven by our commitment to inspire bold, transformative change through education and advocacy, we are excited to launch our first Peer-Centered Advocacy Group in January 2025.  

Our first cohort will consist of graduates from YWCA’s Single Mothers’ programs. Guided by our Single Mothers’ team and collaborating closely with various community partners, council members will draw from their lived experiences and data-driven insight to highlight challenges faced by single-parent households to raise awareness and influence public opinion.  

For more information about City Shift contact Leah Rambally at lrambally@ywcavan.org.