Overview

Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people have a right to be treated with dignity and respect and live in safety and security, free from violence.

Work is happening in every corner of the province to make Alberta safer and more economically secure for Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people. The inclusion and leadership of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people is central to our efforts to build a more just and inclusive future.

Our response to the disproportional level of violence and the disappearance and murder of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people includes these key initiatives:

  • Alberta Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Roadmap
  • Premier's Council on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit Plus People (Premier’s Council on MMIWG2S+)
  • The Community Support Fund
     

Resources

Supports

Premier's Council on MMIWG2S+

The Premier’s Council on MMIWG2S+ provides critical advice to Alberta's government and includes Indigenous experts, service providers and family members who bring diverse First Nations, Métis, Inuit and gender-diverse perspectives. 

Learn more

Alberta MMIWG Roadmap

Alberta’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Roadmap guides the Alberta government’s response to the MMIWG2S+ crisis.

Seven principles have been identified to guide government actions and advance reconciliation in Alberta. Aligning with the roadmap, initiatives will be:

  • Indigenous-led and developed
  • Culturally-informed and safe
  • Trauma-informed
  • Decolonizing
  • Inclusive of MMIWG2S+ families and survivors
  • Equitable and equality-focused
  • Distinction-based

Pathways for action

The roadmap identifies 4 pathways that address the 4 root causes of colonial violence identified by the National Inquiry on MMIWG.

Each pathway includes goals and actions to further inform ongoing initiatives.

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    Community connections, healing and cultural supports

    Pathway 1 supports languages, cultures, community connections, healthy relationships and well-being.

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    Education, economic independence and infrastructure

    Pathway 2 focuses on improving employment, economic development, housing, transportation and income supports.

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    Community wellness and improving the justice system

    Pathway 3 focuses on violence prevention, safety, health, child and youth services and justice.

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    Accountability to and inclusion of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people

    Pathway 4 focuses on engagement, data and research to increase awareness and inclusion of Indigenous women, girls, 2S+ people, family and survivors’ perspectives in government initiatives.

National Inquiry response

The National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was established to examine systemic causes of all forms of violence against Indigenous women and girls.

On June 3, 2019, the National Inquiry released its final report including 231 Calls for Justice to combat violence and the murder of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people in Canada.

The Alberta Joint Working Group was formed to examine the National Inquiry’s final report and develop recommendations for Alberta. The joint working group delivered its final report, 113 Pathways to Justice, to Alberta's government in January 2022.

Government initiatives

In addition to supporting Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people, some of the Alberta government’s initiatives listed below also support broader issues. Specific actions to reduce violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people will be added as work continues.

  • Grant supports

    Strengthening community supports

    Each year, Alberta’s government provides funding to support initiatives that help address the ongoing crisis of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people.

    Through the Community Support Fund, government invests more than $4 million in grants, annually, for Indigenous-led projects focused on safety, healing and economic empowerment. 

    Funding for the Aboriginal Alert system helps ensure the service functions across multiple platforms, helps strengthen partnerships with law enforcement agencies and helps increase public awareness through the Compassion Circle.

    The Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women receives funding to support programs to help Indigenous women find jobs, security and success in Alberta’s workforce.

    10-year Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence

    'Building on our Strengths, Alberta’s 10-year Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence' outlines how Alberta’s government will work to prevent gender-based violence, support those impacted and ensure those committing crimes are held to account. 

    At the heart of the strategy are strong commitments to engage men and boys as partners, advance women’s economic empowerment and ensure that targeted programs are Indigenous-led.

    News: Breaking the cycle of gender-based violence (July 31, 2025)

    Pathways to end gender-based violence

    Alberta’s government launched the Community Pathways to Justice grant program to support survivors of gender-based violence. Through the Community Pathways to Justice grant, $1.25 million in one-time funding is available to help community-based organizations and Indigenous communities enhance access to justice and provide survivor-centered services. 

    News: Pathways to end gender-based violence (July 14, 2025)

    Stopping family violence

    Alberta’s government is supporting 31 community-based projects to prevent family violence across the province. Work includes the Indigenous-led approaches to Family Violence Prevention Grant program, which invested in 12 organizations and communities for initiatives focused on Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people and the prevention of family violence before it occurs.

    Recipients include the Ben Calf Robe Society, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, Edson Friendship Centre, Hinton Friendship Centre Society, the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women and Kikino Metis Settlement. 

    News: Stopping family violence before it starts (August 18, 2025)

  • Ending human trafficking

    In partnership with the Alberta Centre to End Trafficking in Persons, Alberta’s government announced $5.5 million in funding through the Combatting Trafficking in Persons Grant to support 19 organizations focused on prevention, protection and empowering survivors of human trafficking.

    Alberta’s government has accepted, in full or in principle, 18 of the 19 Alberta Human Trafficking Task Force calls to action, including the creation of an Alberta Office on Human Trafficking in Persons and Indigenous-led specific initiatives and services. Work is underway to establish the office.

    Learn more about Alberta's efforts to end human trafficking:

    News: Bolstering efforts to combat human trafficking (February 21, 2025)

  • Justice and policing

    Expanding Indigenous police services

    Alberta’s government provides funding for Indigenous police services through the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program.

    News: Strengthening First Nations policing (August 29, 2025)

    Including Indigenous input on public safety initiatives and policies

    The Public Security Indigenous Advisory Committee, composed of Indigenous leaders, develops strategies to improve public safety in Indigenous communities and across Alberta.

    Alberta Community Justice Grants funded Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations that provide community-based initiatives aimed at addressing legal issues, including the development or enhancement of restorative justice programs and increasing access to justice in family law matters.

    Establishing Indigenous courts

    Edmonton’s Indigenous court opened in February 2022 to provide a culturally relevant, restorative and holistic system of justice for Indigenous people. The Calgary Indigenous Court was established in 2019.

    These courts respond to the unique challenges and circumstances of Indigenous people. They seek to address the issue of overrepresentation of Indigenous people in the justice system and are a step forward in implementing recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

    Updating Alberta's Police Act

    Legislation was passed in 2020 to extend the Police Act to include all First Nations police services in Alberta.

    News: Recognizing the importance of First Nations policing (October 21, 2020)

  • Health

    Indigenous panel

    We are implementing recommendations from the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System Indigenous Panel to help transform Alberta’s primary health care system to provide accessible, relevant and culturally safe primary health care to First Nations, Métis and Inuit patients.

    Indigenous Primary Health Care Implementation Panel plan

    As part of the recommendations from 'The Way Forward: the Indigenous Primary Health Care Implementation Panel’s plan to advance the recommendations from Honouring Our Roots: Growing Together Towards a Culturally Safe, Wholistic Primary Health Care System for Indigenous Peoples', a community-based Indigenous Patient Navigator Grant Program (Navigator Program) has been created to address the immediate challenges facing Indigenous patients, communities and organizations.

    It provides financial support to First Nations, Métis and Indigenous-serving organizations to recruit and retain Navigators to support patients through the primary health care system, community and social service agencies and other relevant supports for their health and well-being.

    Indigenous Primary Health Care Innovation Fund

    Additionally, the Indigenous Primary Health Care Innovation Fund (Innovation Fund) has been created to support Indigenous communities to design and deliver innovative primary health care services and projects.

  • Infrastructure

    Increasing broadband coverage

    Alberta’s Broadband Strategy is helping rural and Indigenous communities connect to high-speed internet, improving digital literacy, supporting livelihoods and increasing access to opportunities around the globe.

    Reliable access to high-speed internet for remote and Indigenous communities has been identified as an essential right when it comes to economic development, as well as personal safety.

  • Legislation

    Legislation to support the health and safety of everyone in Alberta, including Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people: