YWCA BC Policy Priorities 2026/27
Prevention and Survivor Stabilization
Gender-based violence remains one of the most significant safety issues affecting women in British Columbia. Service providers consistently report that financial insecurity is one of the primary barriers preventing survivors from leaving abusive relationships.
At the same time, prevention education remains inconsistent across schools, and trauma-informed responses across public systems vary significantly.
Addressing gender-based violence requires both preventative education and stronger, more integrated stabilization supports for survivors.
Make substantive progress toward implementing the recommendations from Dr. Kim Stanton’s Systemic Review of the Legal System’s Treatment of Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence, including:
A. Strengthening public education and prevention efforts related to gender-based violence and healthy relationships by improving and standardizing existing prevention education in schools using trauma-informed and evidence-based approaches (Aligns with recommendation 4A).
B. Implementing trauma-informed training standards across public systems, including first responders, policing and justice services, to ensure survivors encounter consistent and informed responses across systems (Aligns with recommendation 4C).
Establish targeted financial transition supports for survivors leaving violence, aligned with emerging policy recommendations from anti-poverty organizations and research from the provincial Universal Basic Income panel. These supports should provide rapid and flexible financial stabilization combined with access to housing and wrap-around services.
Prevent and counteract workplace sexual harassment, including:
A. Restricting non-disclosure agreements in cases of workplace discrimination or harassment.
B. Extending the filing window for sexual harassment complaints at the BC Human Rights Tribunal.
C. Expanding public education and awareness to shift norms, clarify rights and employer duties and improve reporting and early resolution.
Together, these measures would strengthen prevention infrastructure while ensuring survivors have the financial resources needed to safely leave violence.
Stability for Women and Families
Housing instability remains a major driver of poverty and vulnerability for women and children. Many affordability programs do not reflect the realities of women-led households, particularly single parents.
At the same time, housing policy discussions often blur the distinction between capital investments in housing supply and short-term stabilization supports that prevent housing loss.
Both are necessary but serve different purposes.
Update affordability definitions and portable housing subsidy eligibility to better reflect the realities of women-led and single-parent households.
Re-fund, prioritize and expand the Women’s Transitional Housing Fund, recognizing the program’s demonstrated impact in supporting the development of transitional housing for women leaving violence.
These actions would strengthen the housing continuum by preventing eviction and housing loss while continuing to expand transitional housing capacity.
Stabilizing the System and Advancing Universal Access
The Province has made some progress toward a universal child care system through the $10-a-day initiative. However, expansion has paused due to a range of challenges, including with the current funding model.
As a result, access to affordable child care remains uneven across the province, with only about 10 per cent of families currently able to access $10-a-day spaces.
At this stage, the priority is not additional program expansion but stabilizing the system and advancing a clear path toward universal access.
Reaffirm its commitment to delivering on a universal child care system, ensuring that affordable child care remains a core component of the province’s economic and social infrastructure.
Stabilize and improve a universal child care funding model to ensure the sustainability of licensed child care providers, with adequate salaries for early childhood educators and support further system expansion.
Move toward consistent and predictable fee structures across licensed child care, ensuring families are not facing dramatically different costs depending on where they live or which centres they access.
Economic security is foundational to safety, stability, and long-term well-being. Yet women continue to face structural barriers to full participation in the labour market, particularly in sectors receiving large amounts of public investment.
At the same time, the application of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) across government policy and infrastructure decisions has weakened in recent years.
Strengthening economic participation requires both stronger gender analysis in policy and funding decisions, and greater transparency in workforce outcomes.
Recommit to meaningful application of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) across government decision-making, ensuring gender equity considerations meaningfully shape policy outcomes.
Introduce public reporting of gender-disaggregated workforce data for publicly funded infrastructure projects, including participation and retention rates for women, as well as data on pay equity.
Develop a provincial action plan to improve participation and retention of women in infrastructure and skilled trades, based on the findings of this data.
These steps would improve accountability for gender equity outcomes in major public investments.
Many individuals receiving income assistance face significant risk when attempting to transition into employment. Benefit cliffs, complex eligibility rules, and the risk of losing supports can discourage people from entering the workforce.
For survivors of violence and single parents in particular, economic instability can create barriers to long-term independence.
Create an enhanced employment support program for survivors of gender-based violence modeled on the successful Single Parent Employment Initiative (SPEI).
Strengthen employment transition supports, including earning exemptions, child care supports, transportation assistance and navigation services that help individuals move sustainably from income assistance to employment.
Pilot structured transition pathways that reduce the risks associated with leaving income assistance, allowing individuals to pursue employment without facing immediate loss of essential supports.
These changes would create safer and more realistic pathways to economic mobility.
Urban Indigenous women experience disproportionately high rates of violence, housing instability and systemic barriers to services.
YWCA BC supports policy approaches that align with the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, while recognizing that Indigenous-led organizations must guide the design of solutions.
Supporting the development of rapid response protocols for missing Indigenous women, inclusive of urban contexts.
Securing multi-year funding for Indigenous-led urban family navigation and support services.
Working in partnership with Indigenous leadership to strengthen service coordination and safety supports for Indigenous women and families.
YWCA BC will seek validation and guidance from Indigenous partners as this work evolves.