Five strategic priorities

Informed by extensive engagement with survivors, community partners, organizations, Indigenous people, academics and others impacted by gender-based violence, Alberta’s 10-year Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence builds on the province’s strengths – across government and with community partners – to achieve our vision of an Alberta where every Albertan will live in safety, free from gender-based violence.

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Increase awareness of gender-based violence

Raise awareness among all Albertans about gender-based violence, what to do if they see it, how to prevent it and how to support survivors.

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Support Indigenous-led solutions

Understand and incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing and being that address the unique needs, lived experiences, and practices of Indigenous people, families and communities.

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Prevent gender-based violence before it begins

Address the underlying causes of gender-based violence and implement early intervention strategies to stop violence before it begins.

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Empower women to be economically independent

Empower women with vital financial and social resources to achieve true financial independence, enabling them to live safely and build strong, independent lives.

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Support survivors and all those impacted where and when they need it

Provide timely, culturally informed, accessible, and responsive support to survivors, families, those at risk and (potential) perpetrators, ensuring they get the help they need, when and where they need it.

Actions we are taking

Alberta’s strategy to end gender-based violence includes more than 100 immediate, short-term, medium-term and long-term actions grouped under five priorities.

Priority 01: Increase awareness of what gender-based violence is and what to do when you see it

  • Immediate actions (2025)

    • Continue to support post-secondary public awareness campaigns on campuses to raise awareness about family violence, sexual violence and healthy relationships to foster a culture of consent and empower people to speak out against violence.
    • In collaboration with the Alberta Centre to End the Trafficking in Persons, develop a targeted campaign to raise awareness about human trafficking, especially among new Albertans.
    • Increase access to training and resources related to elder abuse for service providers.
    • Develop and expand training for professionals in the justice system to better understand the complex nature and impact of gender-based violence.
    • Continue administering the Community Support Fund to support Indigenous-led initiatives that address violence and increase safety and economic security of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people.
    • Continue to provide information to schools about preventing child abuse and gender-based violence as well as their duty to report under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act and the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act.
    • Invest in research to learn more about awareness, prevalence and attitudes about gender-based violence to inform future programming.
    • Support Primary Prevention “Shift to Learn” Modules to advance a shared understanding of what primary prevention is and how organizations and individuals can disrupt violence in their own spheres of influence.

  • Short-term actions (2026 – 2027)

    • Develop a province-wide public awareness campaign on what gender-based violence is, including emerging forms, targeting all Albertans, particularly men and boys.
    • Develop training for bystanders to recognize gender-based violence and intervene safely.
    • Improve collaboration across all government ministries and with Indigenous and community partners to ensure a coordinated approach to addressing the needs of survivors.
    • Report annually on rates of gender-based violence in Alberta, actions taken to address it and effectiveness of government strategies.
    • Explore the need for a standard definition of gender-based violence in policy and/or legislation to ensure clarity and consistency in data collection and reporting.
    • Support targeted information campaigns about the supports available for men and boys.

  • Medium-term (2028 – 2029)

    • Expand mandatory gender-based violence training for first responders, law enforcement and judicial candidates.

  • Long-term (2030 – 2035)

    • Review mandatory Occupational Health and Safety training requirements for violence and harassment to determine if training for gender-based violence should be included.
    • Review and refresh awareness campaigns.

Priority 02: Prevent gender-based violence before it begins

  • Immediate actions (2025)

    • In collaboration with the Alberta Centre to End Trafficking in Persons, raise awareness about how to recognize the signs of exploitation, sex trafficking and labour trafficking, empowering individuals and communities to recognize the signs of exploitation, increasing vigilance and reporting, which will ultimately help prevent trafficking and support survivors.
    • Continue to support Indigenous-led prevention programs that increase safety of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people.
    • Increase awareness about how to access information about potentially harmful intimate partners through Clare’s Law and increase ease and efficiency when accessing this information.
    • Continue to support targeted prevention programs that engage and mobilize more men and boys as partners in stopping violence before it starts.
    • Establish common targets and performance measures for all provincially funded gender-based violence prevention programming and standardize reporting requirements.
    • Ensure prevention efforts go beyond general awareness and address root causes by:
      • continuing to implement the Anti-Racism Strategy and addressing racism and discrimination.
      • continuing to implement actions under the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Roadmap to address the issues contributing to violence against Indigenous women and girls.
      • continuing to reduce unemployment and underemployment and provide effective employment services.
    • Continue supporting early intervention and prevention initiatives, including the Integrated School Support Program and youth mental health hubs, which foster resiliency and support mental well-being of young people.
    • Support focused sexual violence prevention programs on Alberta’s 26 post-secondary campuses to create safer educational environments and increased awareness and understanding of sexual violence among students.

  • Short-term actions (2026 – 2027)

    • Review existing prevention programming and identify opportunities to align efforts to increase effectiveness.
    • Continue to provide developmentally appropriate learning opportunities for students in kindergarten to grade six and increase access to learning opportunities for students in grades 7-12 about the importance of consent, mutual respect, dignity and responsibility through new curriculum.
    • Continue to support post-secondary institutions in raising awareness among students about the importance of consent and respecting personal boundaries.
    • Explore prevention programming for disproportionately impacted groups, including newcomers, youth, people living with disabilities, seniors, LGBTQ+ people, racialized and Indigenous people.
    • Develop new programs for men and boys to promote healthy role modelling, improve mental health and wellness and promote healthy intimate partner relationships.
    • Collaborate with and support the mandate of the Alberta Centre to End Trafficking in Persons.
    • Continue to support early intervention programs in all regions, including parenting programs, anger management and counselling for women, men, LGBTQ+ people and families.

  • Medium-term (2028 – 2029)

    • Continue to expand early intervention programs, including helplines, outreach and treatment, parenting courses and standardized risk assessments, and ensure they continue to reflect best practices.

  • Long-term (2030 – 2035)

    • Review and refresh public awareness materials based on updated research and best practices.
    • Regularly assess the effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs and ensure program improvements are informed by data and best practices.

Priority 03: Support Indigenous-led solutions

  • Immediate actions (2025)

    • Continue to implement actions included in the Alberta Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Roadmap to address the root causes of violence against Indigenous women and girls.
    • Work with the Premier’s Council on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit Plus People to address violence and increase safety and economic security of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people.
    • Invest in targeted Indigenous-developed and led family violence prevention programming.
    • Fund sexual violence prevention and healthy relationship training and awareness building activities at First Nations College campuses.
    • Provide families and loved ones of MMIWG2S+ support, including legal information, updates on investigations, connections to counselling and spiritual support.
    • Consider Indigenous perspectives when developing legislation, policy and programs that impact Indigenous people, especially women, girls and 2S+ people.
    • Continue to administer the Community Support Fund to improve the well-being and resiliency of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people by supporting Indigenous-led projects and initiatives that address violence and increase safety and economic security.

  • Short-term actions (2026 – 2027)

    • Work with Elders, Knowledge Keepers and Indigenous leaders to develop targeted prevention, early intervention, crisis and long-term gender-based violence support programs for Indigenous people, particularly women, girls and 2S+ people, regardless of where they reside in Alberta.
    • Expand programming to increase economic security for Indigenous women and 2S+ people.
    • Continue to support Indigenous communities to implement community-led responses to elder abuse, including the Coordinated Community Response Program and the Safe Spaces program.

  • Medium-term (2028 – 2029)

    • Expand the Family Justice Strategy through partnerships with community organizations, particularly in Indigenous communities, to enhance access to legal resources and supports.

  • Long-term (2030 – 2035)

    • Collect data and research about the impacts and effects of gender-based violence on Indigenous people.
    • Working with Indigenous partners, improve social and economic outcomes of Indigenous women and 2S+ people, their families and communities through the provision of targeted employment services.

Priority 04: Empower women to be economically independent

  • Immediate Actions (2025)

    • Establish an advisory council on women’s economic empowerment to shape and recommend policies that promote equitable access to economic opportunities, resources and supports.
    • Continue working with partner organizations offering targeted programs that specifically address the barriers women face in entering and succeeding in the workforce, particularly in skilled trades and underrepresented fields.
    • Fund a 24/7 childcare pilot program to support parents in skilled trades and other shift professions.
    • Expand the online Women’s Hub on Alberta.ca to provide more resources, services and supports that cater specifically to women’s needs, including legal advice, health services, career counseling and financial assistance.
    • Empower women to access post-secondary education by continuing to invest in scholarships and awards that increase women’s participation in under-represented industries.
    • Empower women who have experienced gender-based violence to access post-secondary education by continuing to invest in programs that support foundational learning and skills development, particularly for those within vulnerable populations.
    • Engage First Nation and Métis Women’s Councils on Economic Security to inform and incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing and being into laws, policies, programs and services that impact Indigenous women, their families and communities.
    • Continue to support programs that increase economic security of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ people, including skills development and leadership training.
    • Promote the Affordable Advice for Life web hub on Alberta.ca to increase financial literacy.
    • Support academic research about the relationship between ill-fitting personal protective equipment and gender-related injury, illness and fatality in the workplace.

  • Short-term actions (2026 – 2027)

    • Provide job training programs in under-represented areas, including skilled trades, aviation and transportation.
    • Expand targeted supports for women entrepreneurs.
    • Continue to improve access to affordable childcare and developing a workforce strategy for the sector to address recruitment, retention and training.
    • Develop targeted financial literacy education for women and girls to empower them to make informed decisions about their money, investments, savings and financial futures.
    • Expand financial literacy training in K-12 and continue to provide financial literacy resources for post-secondary students to better equip them with essential skills to manage their finances effectively, make informed financial decisions and prepare for future economic challenges. Include a focus on women in all government workforce strategies.
    • Ensure that financial support payments for women experiencing violence are delivered in a manner that considers their specific circumstances—such as the potential risk of sharing a bank account with an offender—to help protect women from further victimization, empowering them to manage their finances independently and leave dangerous situations.

  • Medium-term (2028 – 2029)

    • Reduce unemployment, underemployment and expand skill development opportunities for women through career and employment information services.
    • Improve access to resources and supports for women seeking reskilling or upskilling through Alberta Supports, Career and Employment Information Resource Centres and the Employment Services Directory on Alberta.ca.

  • Long-term (2030 – 2035)

    • Explore the potential of pay transparency legislation.

Priority 05: Support survivors and all those impacted where and when they need it

  • Immediate actions (2025)

    • Work with family violence providers, women’s shelters and sexual assault centres to address the diverse needs of survivors and their families, and support access to a culturally relevant, integrated system of care built around the safety and healing needs of individuals and families.
    • Continue to modernize women’s emergency shelter programs and increase access to a culturally relevant, integrated care built around the safety and healing needs of the family. Invest in innovative shelter programming focused on safety and inclusive services and supports, including prevention and intervention services for individuals experiencing abuse.
    • Through the Canada Housing Benefit for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence Program, assist survivors with housing expenses and help them secure stable accommodation while they work to rebuild their lives.
    • Centralize oversight of the Provincial Family Violence Treatment Program to ensure consistent quality services, reduce waitlists and increase access to treatment.
    • Expand Domestic Abuse Response Teams (DART) education programs for professionals working in corrections, cancer clinics and primary care facilities to enhance identification of gender-based violence and subsequent referral to appropriate services.
    • Increase access to comprehensive sexual assault care, including forensic evidence collection training, to reduce the need for sexual assault survivors to travel long distances to receive care.
    • Support 211 Alberta gender-based violence resources and raise awareness of supports available.
    • Develop a comprehensive and accessible information resource outlining all available gender-based violence resources and share with all gender-based violence service providers.
    • Expand access to and enhance delivery of voluntary and court-ordered programming for perpetrators and those at risk of causing harm to promote accountability, teach healthier coping mechanisms and reduce recidivism.
    • Implement electronic monitoring technology to monitor offenders under court-ordered supervision to ensure compliance and provide timely alerts to law enforcement.

  • Short-term actions (2026 – 2027)

    • Ensure front line staff have access to training and support that enables staff to deliver services in a culturally safe and responsive manner.
    • Ensure supports are in place for early intervention, crisis response and recovery in all regions.
    • Explore regional family navigation centres to eliminate the burden on survivors to navigate the system, identify and seek supports.
    • Review provincial legislation to identify opportunities to strengthen enforcement mechanisms related to no-contact orders and address fears of having children taken away from mothers who leave abusive relationships.
    • Strengthen supports for navigating the justice system.
    • Establish restorative justice services specifically focused on gender-based and sexual violence to empower victims, promote offender accountability, foster community involvement and emphasize healing and rehabilitation.
    • Expand access to counselling in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.
    • Explore a targeted survivor benefits program to ensure survivors have access to supports and services while navigating the criminal justice process.
    • Continue to support community-based programming for older adults experiencing gender-based violence, including the Coordinated Community Response Program, Safe Spaces Program and Elder Abuse Shelters.

  • Medium-term (2028 – 2029)

    • Improve coordination between family and criminal courts and expand supports for survivors with matters in front of multiple courts.
    • Continue to explore supporting access to long-term supports for survivors and their children, including family counselling, mental health supports and ongoing system navigation.
    • Develop an Alberta Prevention of Sexual Violence Action Plan specific to sexual violence.
    • Explore opportunities to provide expedited services for survivors who require immediate access to government services to ensure safety (e.g., photo ID, housing or employment supports).
    • Explore dedicated legal aid supports for Albertans who have experienced or are experiencing family and sexual violence and are involved in the justice system.

  • Long-term (2030 – 2035)

    • Enhance the capacity of specialized courts to respond to gender-based violence.