TORONTO — Ontario officials used the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on Friday to restate the province’s commitment to addressing gender-based violence, invoking the memory of the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre and emphasizing ongoing efforts to strengthen prevention and support services.
The day, observed annually on Dec. 6, commemorates the murder of 14 women and the injuring of 13 others at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal. The event has become a national symbol of the urgent need to confront misogyny, protect survivors, and prevent violence before it occurs. Governments, community organizations and advocacy groups across Canada typically mark the day with public statements, vigils and calls to action.
In a joint statement, Michael Parsa, Ontario’s Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, and Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, urged Ontarians to reflect not only on the lives lost in the Montreal shooting but also on the many others affected by gender-based violence each year.
“On December 6, we stand together across Canada to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. We remember and honour the 14 women who were murdered and the 13 people who were injured in an act of gender-based violence at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal, and other victims of this violence that has no place in our society,” the ministers said.
They described the anniversary as both a memorial and a renewed call for collective responsibility. “Today is a solemn reminder of the tragedy that shook the country and a call to action to stand against gender-based violence and protect victims and survivors,” they said.
The province highlighted measures it says are designed to strengthen protections for victims and ensure accountability for offenders. The ministers noted that Ontario continues to collaborate with municipal and federal partners as well as community organizations to ensure responses to violence are coordinated and effective.
“Our government has zero tolerance for gender-based violence in any form, and we are working across all levels of governments to hold offenders accountable through the justice system and protect survivors,” the statement said. “We are making targeted investments through our action plan to end gender-based violence and working with communities and frontline agencies to help survivors and their dependents access the supports they need to heal and rebuild their lives.”
Ontario’s action plan includes funding for shelters, community-based counselling programs, legal supports, and initiatives designed to improve economic independence for women and girls — a factor research has consistently linked with reduced vulnerability to violence. Other measures focus on reducing barriers faced by Indigenous women, newcomers, and people in rural and remote communities, where access to support services can be limited.
Prevention remains a key priority, according to the ministers. They emphasized the need for early-intervention tools and broad public education aimed at shifting harmful attitudes and ensuring communities recognize the warning signs of coercive or escalating behaviour.
“We are also working to protect communities across Ontario by raising awareness, and supporting early-intervention and education initiatives to prevent violence before it occurs,” they said.
Advocates have continued to call attention to growing pressures on the sector, noting that shelters and crisis lines are experiencing increased demand amid population growth, economic strains, and heightened public awareness of intimate partner violence. In several communities, services report regularly operating at or above capacity.
As the province marked the day, the ministers expressed gratitude for frontline workers, who often face significant emotional and logistical challenges in supporting survivors. “As we mark this National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, we remember victims and survivors of gender-based violence and express our gratitude for the advocates and frontline workers who make a difference in survivors’ lives each and every day,” they said. “Together, we will continue to build an Ontario that is free of gender-based violence and full of opportunities for girls and women.”
Ontario also encouraged anyone experiencing or at risk of violence to seek help. “For anyone experiencing or at risk of violence, resources and supports are available at ontario.ca/safe,” the province noted, adding that helplines remain “free, accessible, confidential, and available 24 hours a day no matter where you live in Ontario.”
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women continues to serve as a reminder of both progress made and the extensive work still required to address the root causes of gender-based violence. For policymakers, community leaders and survivors, the day reinforces a shared commitment: ensuring the tragedy of 1989—and violence against women more broadly—is neither forgotten nor repeated.
